The Darkness of Light
by Kartian
Summary: This is a tale of a young man, with a forgotten past and has traveled to Vale in the hopes of becoming a Hunter, alas when he takes a walk through an alleyway, everything about him will be put to the test as a new world unfolds around him. This is the story of Remnants deadliest assassin...
1. Chapter 1: How His Story Began

Chapter 1: How This All Began

"In other news, today marks the eight year anniversary of a tragic death in Atlas where the-", the news report is silenced when a young man closes his scroll while stepping off a train that had arrived at Vale from Atlas. It was raining outside but in the mind of this young man, nothing was going to ruin the look of determination in his face.

He walked over to a small coffee stand and ordered a small black coffee, he had never had coffee before but he never had been to Vale before so he wanted to start his arrival here with something new. Putting up the hood of his brown cloak over his head, he began walking out into the rainy streets of Vale. He was excited that he had come this far in his training as to be accepted into Beacon as a Hunter, he decided to take what looked like a shortcut which led him through a dark alleyway though he didn't like taking chances but was anxious to arrive at Beacon as soon as possible and headed into the dark alleyway.

Standing under the only light around. The young man began to cautiously approach the two men from which he could hear them talking among themselves when what feels like a hand gripped his right shoulder, he spun around and saw a new figure, much larger than the two now behind himself. The young man knew what was about to happen even before the towering figure spoke, or just assumed the worst, "Look at what we have here." being confident he could take on all three men, the young man shoulder charges the largest figure and you could hear the blow breaking a bone or two in the large man.

As the large figure dropped to the ground, the other two figures under the single light pulled their guns and opened fire on him. He quickly slid under their path of fire and tripped one of the two men to the ground. Standing up to swing at the last guy he threw up his gun to block the blow of the young man, kicking him in his chest sending him to the ground breathless. The large figure now looming over the young man slowly put a hand over the young man's throat lifting him up off the ground above himself. The large thug threw the young man to the ground causing him to land on his left arm breaking a bone or two which left a smug across the large thug's face. The young man made an attempt to stand up and in response the large figure grabbed him and slammed him against a wall under the only light in the alleyway with enough force to cause a small web of cracks in the wall.

As the young man sat slouched against the wall half-conscious, one of the thugs opens fire on the young man with a quick burst of bullets to the chest. The largest man drew a knife and crushed the young man's leg by stomping on it, also giving a few quick stabs. The young man lied there bleeding out and seeming lifeless the two figures helped up the tripped man, and they walked away into the darkness of the alleyway laughing and boasting. The storm had grown violent during the brawl and as the last thug disappeared into the darkness thunder and lightning sounded and flashed off.

Heels clicking on stone begin to echo in the darkness, a woman's voice can be heard close by, "Well looks like he lived." A man's voice can also be heard as the young man slowly opens his eyes, unable to move from the pain and broken limbs, "You want to waste your time with him? He's better off dead, not worth your time if you ask me."

The woman's tone changes, "Well good thing I'm not asking you, now do as you were told." The man sighs, and the young man still barely able to see can make out the two figures images faintly, he notices the woman is wearing a red dress and the man has a hat on while wearing a white coat and holding a cane. The woman kneels down next to the boy and speaks softly, "It's good you are alive, would have been a waste of potential." After speaking to the young man, she stands up and walked away with the heels of her shoes clicking on the pavement and echoing in the dark alleyway. The figures shadows flashing in the darkness on the alleyway walls. The young man left wondering what that woman meant by her statement, had she been watching the fight? He begins to black out during this thought while the male figure lifts him up, everything fading to black.

The young man sits straight up panicked and with his vision blurred slightly, he stops and closes his eyes for a moment trying to be calm, wondering if that dream had been real. Opening his eyes and beginning to look around the room the thought of how he got here, and why he was half naked and strapped to a bed at his wrists crossed his mind. He looked at his wounds which were covered with stitches and bandages and then looking up and spotting his clothes which were wet and stained with blood laid out on a counter next to him beside a sink.

The boy closes his eyes again and after a few seconds opens them again and sees a woman in a red dress with black hair and amber orange eyes standing in the room's doorway leaning against the door frame, "Well it's good to see you awake, now what might your name be?" she asks innocently smiling. The boy coughs as he inhales a good breath of air considering the injuries he's sustained, "Damien, Damien Aratin," responding hesitantly. The woman walks around the room sliding her hand around the counters as she walks, "Well Damien, whether you like it or not you owe me your life." Damien sits up slightly more than his original stance and coughing a little more, "Why do I owe you anything, especially my life?"

"Well because I saved your life, what can you do to repay that?" She smirks.

"Considering the fact that you will most likely try to stop me from leaving, if by any chance I could manage that," he shakes his hands which are still strapped to the bed, "I suppose I have no other choice than to accept that I owe you my life, " his eyes flicker with purple flame as he winces from the pain his body is enduring and suppressing most of, "but what do you intend to do with my life?"

She laughs for a moment at the Damien's question, "Well whatever I want to of course, as you are now mine, you have no choice but to do as I say" she smiles while walking away. She stops in the doorway and looks over her shoulder, "Also, you'll learn my name in time so don't worry too much about it." Her tone dark and filled with a certain kind of darkened evil to it.

Damien was having quite a hard time with figuring out what that woman's intentions were, but he is certain whatever her intentions are they mean little harm at the moment, but why she takes an interest in him is a big question, Damien is the son of a family that is as wealthy as the Schnee family. But now he is stuck on deciding whether to follow through, or try to escape, Damien notices a glass crutch by the door and wonders if the woman had done that, he finds that amazing, but he must stay focused, and must find some way out of here. Hell if he could just get to his things on the counter it would be easy, but now wasn't the time to let some random woman figure out what he was hiding, he needed to get to Beacon and he had to do it quick. He slowly begins to pass out now that his body has been enduring so much of the pain and suppressing quite a bit of it, slowly begins to fall asleep and within seconds is so.

~Please understand that this is still a WIP as I'm not the best with grammar. I hope everyone enjoys it and could leave some helpful advice for keeping this going :D~


	2. Chapter 2: A Grim Past

Chapter 2: A Grim Past

A boy stands on a cobbled path crying, watching as a house in front of him was being engulfed by fire. Screams echoed out in the forest around the boy as the sky turned black from the smoke. The boy watched as this house, his house, was burning, all he could hear was the sound of the fire and wood snapping along with the horrifying screams that echoed inside his ears.

The boy watched for hours, now no longer crying and sitting on the cobbled path covered in ash. He had witnessed the death of his family and the destruction of his home. He sits there trying to remembering what had happened hours earlier

"GO, GET OUT OF HERE!" The boy's father yelled at him as a support beam from the ceiling crashed down filling the hallway with flame, "FATHER!" the only word the boy could manage to say before falling to the floor and looking back at where he would last see his father, the sound faded as he stared at an arm lying underneath the beam. Sound flooded into the boy's ears just in time to hear another support beam above him begin to crack and splinter. The boy scrambled to his feet in an effort to get away but the support beam gave way and flame engulfed the boy as he reached for the door. The windows shattered as a blast of heat filled the first floor. More and more of the house had begun to collapse around where the boy had been, seconds after the blast of heat the front door swung open as the boy crawled out from the house. He was covered in cuts and splinters of wood, as sweat and blood covered his face and body.

That is what the boy can remember of how he got out here but everything else was blurred, he couldn't even remember his fathers or mothers faces.

The boy sat there for two days before any help arrived, the fire and police departments had to cut through security measures at the gate to the estate before they could enter. The boy was taken to the hospital in Atlas about 38 miles from where his house was in Atlas, minutes after the police found him sitting there, one of the reports submitted by the police detailed "I remember seeing the boy, he had been covered in ash and blood, but what surprised me was how there wasn't a single burn on him, none whatsoever but he was incredibly warm." The boy remembered all this as it was broadcasted on the news, he remembered all of his nurses and doctors names, he remembered every story or article on the news about him. He had spent two and a half weeks in the hospital before being released into custody of his longtime family friends. The two families had been great friends and they felt that it would be better than being an orphan for the boy. Saraph had been great friends with the family's daughter Violet Valeria. A girl who loved the violin and music, something they both shared was that love for music, Saraph wasn't ever good at playing an instrument, and Violet was never good at dancing, so their parents had decided to train them to dance in a different way. They had been taught fencing and just about every style of combat possible, but they learned it in respective ways, Violet was great with music so she choose to wield her violin, but Saraph had been amazing at learning how to use just about every weapon possible. At this age it was incredible the talent they had, neither one was more powerful than the other and the combat seemed spectacular, some say that you can see ones emotions or true self in combat, to Violet and Saraph, combat was nothing more than to show the bond they shared and they poured every ounce of their energy into it.

Through the years that never changed, the Valeria family had pushed them even harder when Saraph was 11 and confessed he wanted to avenge his parent's deaths and become a Huntsmen. Saraph had been 9 when he lost his family, but never forgot a single detail of that day, he spent almost a year tormented about it until he decided to open up. Violet had always been happy, was always smiling and felt bad for Saraph, she always was trying to make him smile and it worked most of the time. They shared a bond most people never get to experience, they had been born on the same day only 7 minutes apart from each other, which made Violet 7 minutes older than Saraph. They shared every interest and dislike, every love and every hate. A bond that they would never forget for the rest of their lives. They always would joke about how they say they could figure out what the other was thinking or always had a feeling when the other was sad or happy. Which was proved quite often, they could read each other almost as if they were a book.

For the next 6 years, Saraph had spent his time practicing combat, by himself or with Violet, he remembers hearing about a girl in Mistral who won the Mistral Regional Tournament four times. He never could remember her name and never saw what she looked like but she was a huge role model for him. When he was 15 he earned a title of "The Tank" when he had attended a tournament for Huntsmen to participate in at his school. He went solo against a team dressed in a full plate suit of armor and carrying only a shield and a sword. He had managed to outlast and defeat all four of the members of the team. He had trained using a shield and a one handed sword at his school in Atlas but always felt he wasn't protected enough. So he spent time training in heavy armor and eventually was able to run and jump in it and fight well. He never had to worry about being hit as the armor sustained just about any blow made to him, but he was not very good with a shield because he became too offensive in his tactics and started using the shield more and more as a weapon than a way to protect himself which started to make his combat less fluid so in later years he dropped the idea of a shield and heavy armor when he had begun training to move as quick as possible and strike with deadly force and a precise blow. He avoided tournaments outside of school as he hated the attention it brought with it, weeks of news reporters and people trying to talk to him and he hated it.

One day when he was 16 his parents had talked to him about attending a school where his talents could best be used and advanced. Violet already had been accepted into Beacon in Vale and also agreed that Saraph should put in a request. Saraph gave up after a week trying to argue the point of staying in Atlas and filled out the request application form for Beacon. Within about a week he received a letter back from Beacon saying he had been accepted. But Saraph had one flaw, he was never good at making friends as he never could trust anyone but his family. So with a letter of acceptance to Beacon and years of combat training he had to make sure he was ready to do what he planned to do, which was become a Hunter. Saraph had long forgotten his family's name and told Violet he never wanted to know it, he had tried so hard to bury the past of when he was younger he had by now almost entirely forgotten about it. He wanted to spend the few months before attending Beacon training and learning.

A few months passed and Saraph was on the train to Vale, he had decided to leave a day after Violet as he wanted to take a day to think over his life, well what he could remember at least. He even spent the train ride to Vale thinking, which was something he always had a problem with, he never could stop thinking, which in more ways was good than bad. But sometimes he over thought somethings which was very easily seen in combat as he would immediately get angry, he often heard the saying "there's a fire in your eyes" whenever he would get angry, now he wasn't all too good with humor so he always wondered if what they were saying was real, which to him didn't seem possible, he never even used Dust as a weapon so it was very hard for him to believe there was a fire in his eyes. Saraph being such a literal person probably also made it hard to make friends so he was alone most of the time, but he loved computers and technology for that reason. The Valeria family was known for its top grade weapons that is created. So Saraph took up the trade and became a weapon smith, and he was good at it, he always liked working with his hands which made a lot of other tasks or jobs hard or boring for him.

But dear reader you are probably wondering what makes Saraph and his story any different than many others, well I guess you'll have to read on and figure out that answer for yourself.

Saraph spent many hours on the train to Vale and it was quite hard for him to sit still, it was so hard that he resorted to playing card games with some other people who were also training to be Huntsmen and attend Beacon. Their names had been Aaron, Sierra whose nickname was Tempest and Claire. He spent just about the entire trip to Vale with them, talking, having fun, playing a card game, they had said when they arrive at Beacon they should meet up, the three of them had to go and get some equipment before they left the station and said Saraph could go on ahead and wait for them at Beacon. And this is where we leave Saraph, as he never did make it to Beacon, for that night he had been horribly injured, though he had survived he was now stuck with a far bigger problem.


	3. Chapter 3: A Failed Chance

Chapter 3: A Failed Chance

Saraph woke up and sat upright immediately, his body drenched in sweat and a raging headache. He hated being tormented by his past, even though he tried to bury the past it still found ways to come back. He looked around the room, it was still night but he could see a moon through the window and he knew it was almost morning. He also knew this was his chance, a chance to get to Beacon. Saraph looked around the room and studied it, tracing it as a map in his memory, he had one problem, and that was figuring out how to get out. But it couldn't have been a more perfect time for Cinder to show up. She walked over to Saraph slowly, he listened to the echo of her heels clicking on the floor, he finally figured out what it sounded like, it was like someone was walking on glass. "So, have you made your decision on my question?" Cinder looked at him harmlessly. Saraph sighs "well, I don't seem to have any other choice as if I say no you might find some way for me to say yes." Cinder chuckles and moves her hair out of her eyes "Well now, you are smarter than I thought. There is hope for you yet." She walks over and unties the straps holding Saraph's hands down and stands at the foot of the bed. Saraph had played her well, he had this situation thought out as soon as he heard the echo of Cinder's shoes. He would wait for her to ask the question, he would give the answer she would want to hear, she would then untie him and he would make his move. Saraph without hesitation rolls backwards sending the medical bed flying up at Cinder, he runs over and grabs his things from the counter behind him and jumps over the fallen medical bed and Cinder who was just recovering from the blow while sitting on the floor.

He had no idea what to do he just went with his instinct, find a way out, kill anyone in his way. He threw on his brown cloak and put up the hood, dashing between stacks of crates and making his way to a large bay door that was only about a few minutes from where he was. He made it to the bay doors and found a door leading somewhere, he looked through the door's window and saw the outside forest, as soon as he put his hand on the door handle he could hear the heels echoing in the silence of the massive warehouse he was in, he hadn't even been paying attention to where he was. Saraph turned the handle and ran outside slamming the door behind him.

The sun shinned brightly, a warm breeze flowed in the air, Saraph spun around slowly looking at where he was, and he was in the middle of a clearing in a forest. He didn't recognize anything, not the mountains or the sky. He just looked forward and ran, he just ran and ran, and time seemed to slow around him as the warehouse faded behind him. After what seemed like minutes he stopped, surrounded by the forest and its silence. He heard something else though, he heard the sound of what appeared to be a gunshot and he wasn't sure until the tree he was learning on snapped in half sending pieces of the tree shattered from an explosion. Saraph stumbled as he heard more and more gunshots ring out and more trees began to explode and the ground around him flew up. Unsure of what to do he turned around and began to run but quickly changed his thoughts when he say a figure in gray and blue colors, he stood there not saying a word. Saraph spun around quickly and saw a girl holding two green pistols. Like a caged animal he decided there was no way out and had to fight to survive. Saraph touched a small necklace he had around his neck that was a silver sword with a dark purple gem in the hilt and split blade with an interesting design to it. He drew two swords from his waist and stands ready for two opponents. Saraph was used to situations like this but he also knew this wasn't for show, this was for his life, which meant everything had to be precise and accurate. He thought how stupid that sounded, two words that were the same meaning. He sighed and shook his head, the gray and blue outfitted boy jumped at Saraph and in response moved forward leaning down from the kick and swinging the sword around in his right hand bringing it up making a connection at the boys chest with his knuckles and it had enough force to spin him around just in time for Saraph to swing around with his left hand and slam the boy the ground with powerful force. He then without hesitation or thought threw a sword at the girl who was just now reacting to the situation. The sword knocked the gun out of the girl's right hand catching her off guard and surprised. Saraph slide under the girl and stood up kicking at head level of the girl. She reacted quick enough to turn around and lean back as the kick came up she fired a round from the left gun and Saraph spun himself around dodging the bullet spray, landing with a sword swinging down in which the girl managed to block with her gun. They both leaped backwards but Saraph had now recovered both of his swords and threw one with lightning speed at the girl who was not yet ready for it. She spun in the air and landed face first into the dirt next to the boy in gray who was just now recovering.

A twig snapped and Saraph spun around throwing the sword behind him at a shadowy figure with lighting speed but the sword was quickly deflected and landed in a tree next to the girl in green. Saraph now had nothing but his fists and tactics to resort too. But he had a feeling whoever was now standing in front of him would in no way be easy. If anything he started considering surrender. But he stood up as his cloak flowed in the wind with the breeze. He couldn't concentrate enough to start playing any music in his head to help with the tone which set him on edge. He had to think of a way to make one move at a time without being put in danger. He began something he hadn't done in a few months now and that was dance. He took one step and slid his right foot in front of him and bowed to the shadowy figure whose eyes glowed with pure fire. Time slowed as the figure launched their first attack at Saraph, a blast of fire, Saraph danced around the flame and made his way closer to the figure while dodging multiple attacks. A few times he almost had screwed up but this fight was in his favor, for now at least. He was feet away from the figure when it grabbed him and it put a hand on his chest as his chest began to burn with flame. He was launched backwards after a blast of flame from the figure hit his chest and he was sent flying through several trees before he stuck the landing with one hand on the ground and then he stood up. He couldn't feel his left leg at all which worried him.

The forest seemed to be burning when he looked back at the figure. The figure was now moving closer to him and he finally figure out who it was, he then begun to wonder if he just pissed someone off who was incredibly powerful. Something inside him screamed for more but Saraph shoved all emotion to the side and charged Cinder. Explosions of fire went off around Saraph as he dodged them, running through a few explosions leaving him with nothing dirt covering his face. He realized in the moment of a bright fiery flash there was no way to get close to Cinder as he flew backwards again. He slammed through several trees before slamming with incredible force into a rock. Now he was sure something was broken when he couldn't move while he lied against the rock. He noticed one of his swords was only a few feet from him sticking out of the ground. Cinder slowly approached Saraph who was crippled, slowly trying to get up but failing. Cinder walked but the sword grabbing it and holding it calmly as she approached Saraph "I think you've learned your first lesson, you will never, escape me, or my wrath." All fades to black for Saraph as Cinder swung the sword and the sound of metal sticking into rock rang out in Saraph's ears.

Saraph stretches his arms out as he lays on the ground, he pushes himself up off the concreate floor looking a small puddle of blood where his head was. He sits with his legs crossed and feels around his face, he feels a bandage around the left side of his head but can't figure out why. Must have been something do with why he blacked out after that fight with Cinder he figured. He looks around and notices he sitting in what he thinks is the middle of the warehouse he had escaped from, them quickly changes that thought to he had attempted to escape from. Somehow he got back here but he doesn't know how, in fact all he remembers is blacking out after the fight with Cinder. But if he is here it means he lost, which surprised him a little. He slowly stood up, sore from the fight he stretched as he stood up, now he was certain there was no escape for him. He would have to wait and plan for that, but he wondered where Cinder was, he stood surrounded by tables and maps with colored markings and drawings on them, he noticed one was a map of Remnant and another was of Vale and Atlas. He slowly walked around looking at each map until he head glass slide across the floor, he jumped and starting looking around for Cinder until he realized he had kicked a vial of Dust across the floor. He walked over and picked up the small vial filled with red Dust, he never used Dust but he was familiar to some degree of what it was and what its uses were. But he could only assume by red it represented fire. He slowly examined the vial until he came across a snowflake on it. He recognized that immediately. He was holding a vial of the Schnee Dust Company's Dust. He only knew what the snowflake meant because just about everyone who was rich, was in the same business, or was in a similar business knew who the Schnee family was. But what Saraph couldn't put together was why Cinder would have this just laying around on the floor.

"So, I see you are doing well." Cinder spoke while leaning against a crate. Saraph quickly pocket the vial of Dust and looked towards Cinder "I suppose, I mean I'm alive so I can't be doing that bad. How long have you been standing there?" Cinder chuckles as she starts walking towards Saraph "not long, I heard something drop and came to look. Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Saraph starts slowly backing up until he backs up into a stack of crates Cinder was still moving towards him "No, nothing at all." He looks away from Cinder as she walks up to about a foot away from Saraph and tilts her head putting a hand on his chin and moving his head to face her "Your eyes say something different. But if you say you are hiding nothing I trust you." She lets go of Saraph walking over to a table pulling a chair out and then taking a seat on the table "Please, sit." Saraph was beyond confused at this point, Cinder was so calm it was almost if she was playing him, but he wouldn't let her, he felt two sided. Like he felt a want to have the power he saw in the forest, he took a seat in the chair Cinder had pulled out.

"So, by now you've no doubt noticed the maps, and what some of them are maps of, well to put it simply I intend to create a better world." Saraph looks at Cinder with a puzzled look, "Now do you know how stupid you sound?" Cinder rolls her eyes at Saraph's question and continues on, "and, with your help, you could be a part of something larger." Saraph stands up and begins to walk away "you are aware I will have to stop you right? I mean what you are doing is crazy, and just plainly evil." Cinder's tone changes to a more persuasive one as she tilts her head "But will you, something tells me you are aware of more than you say. You are drawn to power, it's something you seek, am I right?" Saraph stopped before reaching the exit of the circle of crates, his thoughts screamed yes. She chuckled "Ah, so you refuse to admit it, but if you knew what true power was wouldn't you want to seek it out, learn to have that power?" Cinder knew exactly how to play her cards, she knew every trick and move to make to twist Saraph's thoughts against him and lure him right into her hands, and it was a simple task for her but not an easy thing for Saraph. He stood there quiet for a few moments, not sure what to say or do Cinder walked up behind him slowly, his thoughts were spinning and he couldn't think straight, he wanted power but not at this cost, but what cost was too great to avenge his family's death? Cinder put a hand on his shoulder and his eyes almost seemed to gleam with an amber orange color that matched Cinder's for a moment.


	4. Chapter 4: Orientation Day

Chapter 4:

Saraph slowly opened his eyes, feeling like his entire body was on fire, and he felt the cold touch of silver from a necklace around his neck. This necklace was never taken off as it was a present given to him by Violet, it was all real silver and hanging from the sliver neck chain was the Valeria house crest, a sword with a purple gem in the middle of the blade and in the hilt. When Violet gave it to him on his 15th birthday she made him promise he would never take it off. Though when he asked her why she would smile and walk away. Saraph didn't trust a lot of people, but also didn't trust easily, Violet was an exception, he trusted her with his life and to him the two of them were family.

Saraph sat up and looked around the room, he seemed to be in an office, no, more of a medical lab. He felt a sharp pain jolt through his right side, he placed his hand over the area and it felt odd to him, he moved his shirt and jacket out of the way and he found stitches. He wondered what could have been the cause, then remembered the fight with Cinder, but also begun to wonder how he survived that. At that moment a door at the far end of the room opened up, a man in a green outfit with a cane walked in followed by a blonde haired lady who seemed to be quite angry. Saraph quickly focused on surviving another fight, looking for every exit and weapon around until the man begun to speak, "You are very lucky to be alive young man."

Saraph tries to straighten his back "Well, sir, I myself am impressed to be alive." The woman next to the man sighs, and the man in green looks at the mug in his hand "Do you know how you are alive?" Saraph replies "No sir, though I'm assuming it was your doing?" The man chuckles "Only partially, do you know who I am?"

Saraph gives up trying to sit up "Of course, you're Professor Ozpin, the headmaster at Beacon Academy." Ozpin smiles and the woman rolls her eyes "Glad to meet you, and who might you be?" Saraph throws his legs around to the edge of the bed "My name is Saraph Valeria." Ozpin takes a sip from his mug then looks at the woman to his side "This is Glynda, she thought it would have been a waste of time saving you from that Grimm attack and forest fire." Sarah thinks for a moment, did they not know what happened, or did Saraph forget something. Saraph nods "Yeah, who knows, could have been a lot worse." Ozpin chuckles "Well the team sent in did a good job at getting you out alive, he takes another sip of his drink from his mug. "Could you answer me something Saraph, why were you so far out in the Emerald Forest?" Saraph lays down in the bed, "Well Professor, to be honest I don't remember." Saraph was trying to lie because he had finally achieved his goal, or was this a trick, Saraph never was quite sure of anything due to the anxiety he had, so he always assumed the world was a lie. Saraph stood up as Ozpin responded "Well, that's unfortunate, but you are alive nonetheless. And now I do believe a more formal welcome is needed, as you are on time for your first day." He sets the cup in his hand on a table and holds out a hand to Saraph and they shake hands, Saraph feeling so proud he has kind of forgotten what they were talking about. Glynda heads out of the room as does Professor Ozpin, Saraph follows with a slight limp.

Saraph steps into the hallway and puts a hand up in front of his eyes to try and block out the blinding lights. After a moment his eyes adjust and he looks up and down the hallway looking for Ozpin and Glynda, he catches a glimpse of green and purple while rubbing his eyes and begins walking towards that direction. Saraph takes three steps and walks into something, stumbling and falling face first to the ground with a loud thud. He slowly opens his eyes and sees a girl in a light suit of plate armor with red hair down to her shoulders and brown eyes, she was smiling at Saraph as she put a hand out for him "Well it's good to see ya again Saraph!" Saraph accepted the girls hand and stood up, waiting a moment for his head to quit spinning "It's good to see you again as well Tempest, guess this means you win." Tempest laughs while patting Saraph on the back "We've been worried you wouldn't make it. Was starting to think you chickened out on the challenge?" They both begin to laugh as Tempest playfully punches Saraph's arm. "So ya ready for today? It's orientation day!" Tempest was so energetic she was literally jumping up and down in the hallway while holding Saraph's arm. By now Ozpin and Glynda had disappeared, and Tempest was prancing up and down happily. Saraph sighed, finally relaxing, "Why not, I mean it couldn't be that bad right?"

Saraph appeared on Beacon Cliff, overlooking the Emerald Forest, he stands next to some familiar faces, Tempest on his right, Claire on his left, and Aaron was further down the line of students, about 12 students were standing on these gray platforms. Saraph had tuned out everyone as he focused on the breeze in the air, but within the moment he begun to listen in on Ozpin all he caught was "Good luck" as Saraph and all the students were launched into the air above the Emerald Forest, he managed to catch a glimpse of a faunus. All that went through Saraph's head was, how was he going to land? One thing Saraph never had, was a landing strategy, in fact, he was afraid of heights, he liked being somewhere he could physically stand but being thrown into the air crossed the line for him. His only idea was to get to a tree, he drew two swords out from underneath his cloak. The swords had a dip in the blade on one side of each blade signifying top from bottom. Moments before reaching a tree he spun around and swung the swords around slamming into the tree, stabbing the swords into the tree and trying to hold on. Saraph landed about 30 feet up on a tree, he looked around for a moment then sighed with relief, and then he felt the blades slipping out of the tree trunk. Saraph started to panic and then heard what sounded like a loud explosion as the tree begun to fall, Saraph's swords cut through the trunk as he feel 30 feet to the forest floor, he closed his eyes and waited. He braced himself for the impact and when he felt the impact he tensed up, after a few seconds he could hear a girl's laughter, a family laugh and he slowly opened his eyes. Saraph begins to see a full plate helmet, with white eyes and a sleek slanted cut. Saraph quickly realizes that the figure is holding him right before they drop him. The figure takes their helmet off to reveal Tempest laughing, and Saraph laying on the ground begins to dust himself off "Well aren't ya glad to see me! Looked like you were dangling from that tree before I came along?" Saraph grabs his swords from next to him and stands up, sheathing them and staring angrily at Tempest who was still laughing "I am fine thank you, but why did you have to create such a big crater when you landed?" Tempest stops laughing while Saraph points to the crater that Tempest created.

"Oh that? Did ya expect my landing to be quiet and subtle?" Tempest gestures at her armor, which was now a full suit of plate armor, plated over in a multitude of spots, and covered her from head to toe. It was a tarnished gray color, almost looked like she had been wearing multiple suits of armor with how large the suit was compared to her and the intricate design made it look almost as if she had her armor designed with scale armor in mind with how the armor plates are set and designed to overlay the original suit. Saraph could see a few faint scratches in the armor but nothing to noticeable. Saraph chuckled while beginning to walk into the forest "Just not what I was expecting, then again I didn't know what to expect." Tempest burst out laughing which gave it a deeper tone as she put her helmet on, Tempest began to walk with Saraph through the forest, "So what are we supposed to be looking for? I'd assume a cave or something?" Saraph cuts a branch down, the two continue to move into the forest, the only sounds were of Tempest's armor and of Saraph stepping on an occasional leaf or stick.

"I'd say we head north, try and get to a clearing I saw before I landed in that tree" Saraph spoke quietly, but loud enough that Tempest could hear him clearly, he wasn't that much a fan of loud noises, unless it happened to be music, Tempest nodded back to Saraph as a response.

After a few minutes of walking Saraph stops, and Tempest stops next to Saraph, "What are we stopping for?" Saraph points with a sword to a bush on the right side of them, the bush rustled and Tempest chuckled, she moved towards the bush slowly. She moved the bush aside and stood there for a moment before speaking as Saraph peeked out from behind her "I think we got a problem mate." Saraph slowly began to step backwards away from an Ursa that was standing up and staring at the two Huntsmen. Saraph turned around to start running and took one step before hearing a gun being loaded and instantly fired and it had enough force to push Saraph forward slightly. Saraph quickly turned around worried about what might have happened and what he saw kind of amazed of what had happened. The Ursa lay split in half on the ground behind the bush and a rock behind the Uras lay in pieces scattered around the ground in a small crater. Tempest turned around holding a custom shotgun that from what Saraph could tell was capable of firing high caliber rounds or explosive rounds, which would explain the power of the impact he felt, it had a black carbon color to it and the gun itself stretched a few feet in length, he a magazine system along with a pump system for feeding the shells to the firing chamber. She looked at Saraph while holding the gun with one hand on her shoulder and giving Saraph a thumbs up while Saraph stood there in astonishment. Saraph slowly walked over to Tempest still with a look of astonishment, "So that's what you've been holding out on me?" he scratches his head "That is one beautiful gun I must say." Tempest sighs, "And here I was thinking for a moment you were going to say I was beautiful, might have had to knock some sense into ya!" They both burst out laughing while continuing to walk towards what they hoped was the right place, a clearing Saraph saw before he landed in the forest.


	5. Chapter 5: Team Ascension

Gunshots ring out in the forest, sounding like a thunderstorm. Trees are falling, Grimm are letting out howls that reverberated loudly but briefly. Saraph stands holding his two swords, coated in blood of fallen Grimm. Light gleams off of Saraph's blackened steel armor, the armor seemed as if it was plate over plate joined together at joints in the gaps, like scales, almost matching Tempest's armor design. Though when he turns away and the gleaming light fades the armor appears to have faded as well. Saraph sheathed his swords in the hilts hanging from his belt. The hilts were almost hidden beneath his cloak, Tempest slung her gun over her back, and removed her helmet, smiling and staring at miles of vast devastation. "Think we over did it?" Saraph sighs, and returns to heading towards their destination "No, I think it was just fine." Tempest re-equips her helmet and follows Saraph, the two walk side by side, swiftly moving about the forest floor. They had one objective, reach the clearing in the forest and go from there.

After about half an hour of navigating the forest, Saraph begins to see what looks like the clearing "Tempest, I think I found it!" Saraph shouted back at Tempest as he made his way swiftly to the clearing, his cloak flapping from the wind. Tempest made her way to Saraph and the clearing, but after a few steps Saraph turned around just in time to see an object hit a tree in front of Tempest and she ran into it falling to her back with a thunderous boom. Saraph rushed over to see if Tempest was ok and as he got closer he noticed the object that was now sticking out from the tree trunk was a large sword, the blade was only a foot shorter than Saraph, which made the blade four feet long. The blade was engraved from end to end. Tempest slowly stood up "Oi, that hurt quite a bit, what was that?" Saraph pulled out the sword from the tree as it slid out cleanly, "Seems we have company." Saraph begun scanning the forest floor tossing the sword to Tempest, who in return caught the sword and stuck it in the ground drawing her own weapon. Saraph hears the faintest whisper in the wind and suddenly a tree trunk he was standing in front of explodes, he isn't phased by the explosion one bit. He catches the faintest glint of light about thirty feet away up on a tree branch and he can't help but stand there and ponder the possibility that it was a snipers scope, or maybe it had been a bird he had saw. He quickly dropped the bird idea after another tree next to him feel over in a shower of splinters and leaves. Saraph looks over his shoulder and sighs, then looks back in the direction of the glint "Seems company is a sniper" Tempest stands next to Saraph, aims her gun at the glint and fires it leaving the sound of a cannon to resound in the forest's silence. The branch was destroyed in a shower of splinters and Tempest continued to fire at the glint as it quickly darted between the tree line, cannon fire resounded throughout the forest.

Saraph heard a branch snap behind him and in a flash of fluid moments he spun around drawing his swords and stopping a blow by two large swords, the same swords that had almost killed Tempest. Something inside Saraph said this person was a friend, but the lust for battle was too much to be left unfilled. Saraph kicked the figure in light steel armor in the chest breaking the guard and Saraph went to a kneel holding one sword vertical with his body and the other horizontal behind his back, his head bowed waiting for the opponent to make his move. To Saraph, combat was more than a fight, it was a show of true emotion, but still much more. Tempest was ready to unleash another round into the man but quickly realized who it was when she made eye contact with him. For Saraph he had no idea who this man was, but he was determined to defeat him. That was until Tempest put a hand on Saraph's shoulder and pointed at the man "It's alright, it's just Aaron." The man chuckles as he opens the face mask of his helmet to reveal hazelnut colored eyes, and a face worn from war. A quiet entrance was made by a thin woman whose armor was very light, though it was mostly for sniper reasons Saraph assumed. He had noticed one thing among the four of them was that they all wore a type of heavy armor which intrigued him. Saraph looked at the two new members to his party and shook hands with Aaron "Glad I didn't have to fight you" Saraph said with a chuckle. "Same here, would have been a long tiring fight too" Aaron looked back at Claire who was holding a sleek black and purple sniper rifle, a three foot barrel and custom optics with what looked like an .87 caliber barrel size with a high powered silencer attached. The rifle itself was about five feet in length from stock to barrel end, "We couldn't make out who you two were, all we heard was a war of cannons and swords for miles. Means Tempest didn't think about inviting us to the part." Tempest chuckled "Well, I sent ya the invitation a while ago, you were late was all it was!" Aaron chuckled and Claire began moving towards the clearing "Let's get moving, hate to be the last ones there." The four of them moved quickly to the clearing.

They stepped out into the clearing to see a destroyed shrine of sorts where on pedestals sat amulets, duplicates of each one but only three pairs. They cautiously moved towards the structure, no one nor nothing was in sight, all was silent save for the warm summers breeze. Saraph moved over to the pedstals and noticed that the three pairs were one of a sword, the other a shield, and the last a horse. Tempest, Aaron, and Claire gathered around Saraph and picked up the shield amulet, Tempest grabbed the other one and looked at everyone as they stood around "What, it's a fitting image of our similarities and strengths." Claire looked at Tempest "Well, you aren't wrong, though I think this is just the beginning to our friendship." Everyone nodded in response and looked back at the ridge where they had been launched from. Saraph takes one step slowly "So, last one to the cliff buys the first round tonight!" and takes off running. The rest of the team quickly start running after Saraph laughing.

Bright lights, music playing, a crowd cheering, Saraph, Tempest, Claire, and Aaron all stand on a stage with Ozpin standing holding his mug. Their names and pictures shown across screens scattered throughout the huge room. Their initials and pictures are rearranged on the screen as Ozpin begins speaking "I present to you, team Ascension." His voice clearly heard across the entire room. "With its leader Aaron." Aaron looking so formal took a moment to realize that it was him and cheered while his three friends begun to hug him and fist bump cheering and clapping. Ozpin approached the group "Well, a fitting name for the four of you, whom seem to be to getting along pretty well, your friendship shall carry you far."

The door to a room swings open, Claire and Tempest enter the room followed by Saraph and Aaron who are chatting. The two girls take a look around the room inspecting what they have, they look at each other while the two boys talk. "So, bunk beds sound good, make more room?" Tempest nods "Why not, pretty good idea, how are we gonna get them up though?" Claire walks out into the hallway grabbing one of her bags and returns to Tempest "We got this, give or take 20 minutes." Tempest chuckles, let's get started. The two boys continue to talk as the girls go to work on the room chatting about weapon specs and designs. A few minutes later a nut flies out from the girls work and hits Saraph in the head "Ouch, what did you do…." he turns and faces the girls noticing the entire room had a makeover, the beds sat on steel frames to create two pairs of bunk beds, all the luggage sat in the middle of the floor and there was a weapons and armor closet against the wall large enough for all four of them to store their gear. Aaron standing there in awe whistles "Mighty fine job girls!" Claire took her helmet off and left it laying on a bed, she smiled and laughed "Thanks!" Tempest lays down in one of the lower set beds setting her gun on the floor, "I'm tired guys, I'm just gonna go to sleep now." The group chuckles and begins getting themselves unpacked and situated for their first night as a team.


	6. Chapter 6: A Day of Sparring, and Fear

It's early in the morning, the air is cool, birds can be heard chirping, a thin blanket of snow covered the ground, a battle taking place stands above all of the rest of the noise. Saraph stands holding his two swords, relaxed, dodging or parrying any of Claire's attacks. She wasn't fast enough with her dagger, and wasn't able to get a bullet to hit Saraph before he cut it down. Aaron thought it would be best if each of them had a one on one duel to learn each others combat styles to better themselves for fighting alongside one another. So far Tempest has been the one to stand the longest against Saraph. "You guys are too slow, and too predictable" he steps to the side of Claire's rifle shot and blocked her follow up attack. Though when he spun around after the block Claire had fallen to her knees and kicked upwards towards his back, but he threw his sword over his shoulder blocking the blow and finishing his rotation with a kick to her chest sending her backwards. Claire rolled across the ground and mid roll caught herself landing ready poised to strike again. Saraph had disappeared from sight and when she finally caught on to his trick she was kicked across the face from behind and feel to the ground defeated. Aaron and Tempest cheered and clapped, "How are you so good at melee combat my friend?" Aaron asked Saraph while walking over to help Claire up. "Simply, it's more than just a fight too me, and I've spent my entire life training." Saraph brushed some snow from his cloak.

A twig snapped close by behind a line of bushes and trees, Saraph's anxiety went through the roof and without thought drew both of his swords as they lit up in a dark shadowed purple flame. His eyes trained on the sound and the location it came from, Tempest slowly walked and stood next to Saraph while looking around as well, she quietly whispered "Hey mate, I don't see anything, must have been a small critter or Grimm scurrying about." Saraph knew very well who it was and he was determined to kill Cinder if she was here. Saraph knew that she was going to be a long time problem, but he wouldn't let his team be worried about a personal problem that he could handle himself let alone let them know about it. Tempest began heading the other way from Saraph "Oi mate, you coming, we don't want to be late for the performance practice test?" Saraph slowly turned around taking a long last look at where the sound had come from before following his team back to Beacon.

Darkness surrounded a room filled with the sounds of silence and steel clashing. Saraph stood on a stage designed for sparring and the entirety of the stage was light up to represent the field. His opponent, a young girl, dressed in brown clothing almost like milk chocolate colored themed, she had sunglasses on and an attitude showing she was determined to win as it was her right to win kind of attitude. Saraph stood there waiting, waiting for Ozpin to commence the battle to begin; a clock ticking as the seconds passed. A chime pierced the silence and Saraph threw his swords from their hilts straight at the girl who when the chime sounded off went from holding a black gold studded purse to holding a large yellow colored mini gun, and began firing at him. He moved out of the way of every shot, almost as if he could see their trajectory path. Saraph took one step before sliding underneath the girl catching his swords and swinging at her before she had the thought to turn around, the girl tossed her gun and rolled under the attacks just in time to dodge them. She picked up her gun and fired again this time catching Saraph off guard and sending him on his back from the force of a direct shot to the chest; a scroll falling from his pocket and sliding along with him falling short a few inches flashing red as it showed his aura status at a danger zone. The girl surprised at her success smirked until she realized Saraph was slowly standing up, he picked up both of his swords, his head bowed down as he swung his swords together in front of him and their color changed from a shadowed purple flame to a bright amber orange flame and he threw his sword up in the air as a beacon of light shone bright from the gap in between the blades where they were curved. The girl aimed her gun up and in an instant was showered in a blazing pillar of flame that had descended from above unto her. After a few seconds the blazing pillar of flame faded and the girl was kneeled over her gun missing surrounded by a burn mark on the stage. The lights flickered and filled the room where the other teams of his year were cheering, the girls team sitting quietly in the stands. Ozpin walking up to Saraph "Impressive, it's odd that you used your semblance to achieve that victory though. I am sure your solution wouldn't have been a weapons ultimate unless you had your semblance active, beside, not like anyone else noticed. But you shouldn't wait till you're almost dead to go all out, especially for someone with your skills for planning during combat. But nevertheless well done, both of you." Saraph bowed slightly as the girl did the same after a short recovery and they both headed off the stage. The rest of the teams went, Aaron was the only one of his team to lose the sparring match, which was against a boy in a thin suit that was very good with a rapier. Aaron was just a tad too aggressive for the circumstances. Tempest's match didn't last very long, her opponent was a girl who favored two pistols, but wasn't very good at aggro management for trying to evade Tempest who right off the bat of the match activated her semblance for Iron Wrath, Claire won against an agile faunus who had rabbit ears and was on the same team as the girl who Saraph faced.

The team treated themselves to a night in their dorm room after the rest of their classes and day were finished. Having a party playing a card game, drinks and food, laughter and a good night. The card game lasted quite a long time since the last time they played was on their train ride to Vale, they could actually play a strategic game. The team spent most of the night up as the next day they had no classes to attend.

During the night, Saraph had a dream, he was standing in the same place as he was that morning, right when the twig had snapped. He looked at the location it came from, swords in hand. His reaction the same, but he had the urge to pursue the sound. He stepped past the tree and into the thicket of bushes and trees heading to the sound, he found the broken twig behind a tree that was about 8 yards from where he and his friends had been sparring. The air around him began to grow warmer, he looked up from the twig and spotted Cinder walking towards him with an evil look about her, she got about a yard away from him when Saraph awoke from the dream, purple flames fading away from his eyes as he noticed the air in the room was very cold for what it should have been, but it quickly warmed up within a few seconds of the purple flames fading. Saraph confused and distraught sat up in his bunk and rubbed his eyes. Looking around the room, trying to figure out what had happened, he found his scroll and started typing a personal message for the morning detailing the dream and what he woke up to, shortly after finishing, he layed back down but was unable to sleep again, having been unable to stop thinking about not Cinder, but the purple flame.


	7. Chapter 7: Prey

Saraph lied awake all through the night till the crack of dawn over the horizon shone through his dorm room window. He was still unable to stop thinking about the dream and what had happened when he woke up. He slowly got out of bed, got dressed, and headed out, silently closing the door on the way out. Saraph headed out to the Emerald Forest, a place said to hide the remnants of ancient kingdoms.

Saraph walks through the forest; a cool breeze flows in the air. The frosted grass crunches beneath his feet as he walks, there was silence save for the breeze and crunching of grass in the forest. Saraph was oddly warm for how lightly dressed he was. He had is brown cloak on, and his normal steel colored hoodie and his black pants, all light clothing. His swords swaying silently, hanging from his belt; Saraph walking in long strides but arms stiff and barely moving from beside his weapons, almost as if he was worried he was in danger. He walked along a dirt trail for a few hours, till coming to a dead end, the trail ending before an ancient brick slab wall. Saraph sighed, looked at his scroll for a moment to check the time and began heading back, but when he turned around and looked up from his coat, he saw a shadowy figure, a slender, tall looking woman, who he knew just exactly who they were, but he was petrified, unable to react for some unknown reason. His only thoughts were of moving closer. He slowly began walking towards the figure, but the darkness that he thought was covering the figure didn't fade as he stood face to face with the figure, he took one slow breath in, then a heavy exhale as the figure fades in the breeze, disintegrating like sand, being blown away in the breeze.

Saraph walks past where the figure had stood, crushing a small pile of glass beneath his feet. As he follows the trail back he catches the sound of a small pebble hit the ground behind him and he stopped cold, curious if he should turn around, or keep walking, but his choice was soon made when a voice broke the eerie silence, "Well, seems like the little bird was lured right into its preys clutches. How convenient." Cinder spoke calmly, but with a small tone of displeasure, which was caught by Saraph.

"So, you managed to find me, now that's a problem." Saraph looked over his shoulder speaking with a cold tone. Saraph turned to face the voice, and upon turning around he spotted Cinder sitting legs crossed on a ledge on top of an ancient wall.

Twirling her hair between her fingers, "Is it? You weren't all that hard too find, sure it took some time but you aren't very smart or good at what you say you are. But why so hostile, is it the eyes? Sorry they just happen to flare up sometimes, kind of like how emotions change, but you of all people should know just how deadly a cold flame can get? I mean, have you never considered the thought of it may have been your fault for what happened that day?" Saraph knew exactly what Cinder was talking about, but how she knew it was him was beyond him. Cinder continued on "But you probably are wondering how I know all of this, well simply you are a very intriguing person, one who hides a lot of secrets, even some you hide from yourself. I know your power, and I know your flaw, I remember when I first found out about the power I had, the potential I had yet to discover." By now, the emotions inside Saraph mixed a deadly concoction, "How would you know what I'm like, how would you know what I'm like!?" Saraph's stance changed, he turned his body and put one leg I'm front of him, ready for an attack, his tone angry and small flickers of purple flame could be seem resonating off of him. Cinder chuckled "You know, you are quite cute when you're angry." Saraph's anger growing with each passing second, his body tensing up. "I've had enough of you Cinder" and with that he threw the sword from his left side straight at Cinder, all one fluid motion, but when he saw the sword collided with the stone, Cinder had vanished. Aware of the trick he spun around drawing his second sword and pointed it forward, expecting to find Cinder standing there, or something, but he saw nothing more than trees and ancient ruins.

Confused, he turned back around to the sound of heels clicking on the stone and saw Cinder standing on the ledge, one foot atop the hilt of the sword, "Such a beautiful sword, you know, people say you can see someone's true self just by their weapon. Yours tells me of a dark secret, one unknown to you, but you have yet to discover it." Cinder chuckles and stands there smiling. Saraph presses his thumb into his left palm and a faint click can be heard as he throws his hand out towards the sword and it comes to his hand followed by the sounds of grinding gears.

"I've had enough of you and your riddles, I should have died in that alleyway, and not forced to be someone's puppet!" He throws the two swords the sky above his head connecting them as one in a bright flash of purple flame, his eyes filled with dark purple flame as he pointed the sword at Cinder, "Today you die." A bright blinding flash of purple lights up the area, the frost around him melted away, and what sounded like a cannon being fired shortly ended with a loud explosion powerful enough to push Saraph back a few inches. After the smoke cleared, Saraph stared at the crater in the ground, about eight feet from where he was standing Cinder lied in a smoldering crater. Saraph brightly emanated with purple flame, as he walked towards the Cinder she slowly begun to roll over, Saraph brought his sword up to her neck as she sat there staring at him. And when he blinked the surroundings changed, he stood in an old broken down building, with a young woman sitting in place of Cinder, exactly the same way and position, and then words spoke in a woman's voice softly "Never kill a defeated opponent without the right time nor reason, push aside personal vendettas and wait for the right time to strike them down." He blinked again and the scene returned to normal, except Cinder was missing, he spun around and found Cinder standing a foot away from him.

She put a hand on his right arm, and caressed the left side of his face, Cinder spoke softly "You have potential, and you have power, let me show you how to use it, let me help you better understand your power, then you are free to do as you wish." Saraph looked everywhere but her eyes, he hated eye contact with people but she was one person he couldn't make eye contact with. Saraph fell into Cinder who caught him as he passed out, drained of all energy.


	8. Chapter 8: Awakening

Click, click, click. The sound of lights flickering to life filling a dark room. In the middle of the room, Saraph sits strapped into the chair. His arms tied down to the chair. Saraph slowly wakes, his eyes still slowly opening. The sound of glass heels echoes throughout the room, Saraph looks up as Cinder caresses his face, "Aww, still sleepy are you?" She chuckles and smiles. Saraph snaps his head away from Cinder's hand and replies in a cold tone "You are really starting to get annoying you know that, I'm surprised you havent driven yourself insane." Cinder walks to the backside of the chair and rests her arms crossed together on top of the headrest "Come now, no need for harshness, I only want to talk" Cinder says in a calm tone, "I'm curious as to how you got your methods, they aren't the best but surely some of the best I've seen?" Saraph struggles slightly in the chair, "Why would I tell you?" Cinder leans over Saraphs shoulder next to his ear, "Because the fact you replied so simply means you gave it a thought, or are you just trying to figure out what will happen if you don't?" Saraph sits there quietly as Cinder walks around the chair and stands in front of him, he noticed she was staring at him intently. Having spent the entire conversation trying to get a hidden knife out and cutting the chair restraints while she was distracted seemed to have failed, it was as if she knew exactly what was going to happen next as he lunged forward at her and she grabbed the arm with a knife in it, brought the arm down on her leg, breaking his arm then throwing back in the chair just before the knife had hit the ground. "I'm disappointed Saraph, you even knew I was expecting it yet you still tried it, also what kind of name is Saraph, it's definitely not your real name?" She calmly asks him as he sits there trying to stifle his screaming.

"Oh come now, I could have done a lot worse to you, be thankful it was only your arm I broke. Now will you please answer the question before I have to get more hurtful with you, and I really wouldn't like to hurt someone who's life I saved." Cinder says with a cold but calm tone, almost as if trying to be persuasive.

Saraph has stopped screaming now, still in pain, he stares at her with a cold glare, "Why do you want to know so much about me?" Cinder stands there a hand on her hip and the other hand playing with her hair, "Why are you so against my influence? You are the only one who has declined my offer and resisted me this many times" she sighs, "And yet you still try to." She holds out a hand and Saraph growls dropping a small silver knife into her hand. Cinder studies the knife for a quick moment before letting it fall from her hand beside the other knife on the floor, "See how easy that was? Now, answer the question." Cinder's eyes narrow, her facial expression angry and showing signs of impatience. Saraph returns the glance following a cold tone "I will not, do as you say Cinder, why not just kill me and be done with me." Cinder backhands Saraph, one of her nails cutting deep into his face, blood beginning to appear from the cut across his right eye, "Remember your place Saraph, if I wanted you dead you would be, very painfully." Saraph slowly stands up, just as Cinder was pacing the room, she stops and faces Saraph as he stumbles, he swings his arm around and holds it for a moment as he stretches it out, "One thing you ought to learn about me Cinder, is your painful and persuasive methods don't much work on me, so how about a deal, a dance if you will?" Cinder stands upright a little more than her current posture and grins evilly, " So you wish to dance with me? How brave, if I'm assuming correctly the terms are a fair, and if I win you agree to my offer, I loose I let you go?" Saraph spreads out his legs about a foot apart and puts his hands together behind his back and nods. Cinder puts a hand on her hip and chuckles, "I'm going to make this a very fun and exciting dance for you, because I'm pretty sure you aren't even aware of your hidden potential are you? Well, allow me to show you then." Cinder throws a hand out in front of herself and sends a large spike of glass at Saraph.

Saraph takes a step to the right and forward dodging the shard of glass, he kicks up one of his silver knives from the floor, catching it and then instantly throwing it with lighting speed and deadly accuracy at Cinder. She in return throws up a shower of glass shards sending the knife up into the celling and sticking there. In that time Saraph had moved closer to Cinder, and he could see her expressions change from confident to angry, she sent flaming shards of glass at him and he slid underneath the glass shards and putting himself only a few feet away from Cinder who had weaved a glass sword after the volley of glass shards ready to cut down a disarmed Saraph, she without hesitation slashed downward at him then following up with kicking him straight in the chest sending him rolling backwards. He rolled topside and caught the ground and as he threw his right arm back it light up in a blaze of a deep dark purple flame and a blackened replica of one of his swords formed in grasp of his hand. He stood and stared at Cinder who was standing there with an evil grin and a sense of amazement. Saraph lunged at Cinder directly and as she put her sword up to block his, everything slowed down around Saraph as he took a step to the left dodging Cinder's sword and swinging upwards with his own as time returned to pace while Cinder barely got out of range of his sword, the blade scratching her shoulder just barely enough for it to bleed a little. Cinder now furious summons a glass bow with three arrows notched on the bow and as Saraph turns around he is quickly shot in the chest with the three arrows, one making its way past his armor and piercing through his back and he kneels down holding the arrow trying to slowly pull it out, the arrowhead locked in on the backside of his armor. He snaps the back end of the shaft and pulls it out and reaches to grab the arrowhead as Cinder fires another arrow at him and the impact sends him to the floor landing on the arrowhead which shifts it and Saraph growls in pain, he quickly rolls over and finds the arrowhead, rips it out and throws it across the room.

Cinder walks over slowly and puts a foot on his back as he lays in the ground, "I think I win" Cinder chuckles and smiles adjusting her foot just beside the puncture wound in his back "Now, I believe you were just about to agree to my proposal." Saraph lays there exhausted and no idea what he was going to do, he had two options, live to outsmart her or die. He chose to live.

Saraph sighed, dropping the sword in his right hand. He took one deep breath in, and spoke calmly, "What do you want from me?" Cinder didn't move, "Wise choice, now, from you I'd like you to join my cause, because I'm sure that you weren't just born a skilled fighter, but you could be much more following me. Or, do you want to loose what little power you have? I used to have the desire of being feared, I wanted to have power, see !e and you aren't too different. Both of us wants power, and wouldn't you like to fulfill that desire, to have power. To be feared?" Saraph knew what she was saying was completely true, he wanted power, he hated being the one everyone made fun of, he hated the fact he felt hated, he hated not knowing what people thought of him. He wanted power so none could challenge him, and he wanted to know what everyone thought of him. He wanted to be feared. But he knew that was a lie, he knew he was liked by people, he had friends, family. He couldn't tell the difference between the truth and the lie. His mind was spinning, filled with rage, he remembered the day his parents burned to death, he remembered the black sky that day. He wanted to find who it was that killed his family by starting the fire, he wanted revenge, and that want for power grew, he wanted to be the most feared person alive, he would be feared. His mind set changed, he knew what he wanted and that Cinder was right, "Then what would you have me do?" Cinder chuckled and smiled stepping off of his back, "Stand up, and I will tell you." Saraph stood up and faced Cinder, a cold, dark emotion was shown across Saraph's face, "I have a test for you, a simple one, I wish to see your potential unlocked and discovered. Because I believe you won't ever be presented with a situation in which you do unlock and discover your true potential, I'm going to create one." Cinder walks up and puts a hand over the middle of his chest, "This will only hurt a bit" and she sends a spark of flame onto his body as he collapses to the floor screaming in pain, a bright flash of orange mixed with purple flame sparks from his body. After several minutes Saraph blacks out from the pain.

Saraph wakes up, laying on a cold stone floor, the scenery changed, as he slowly opens his eyes blurred and hazy, he makes out a familiar building, one he hasn't seen or been to in years, and as his vision returns to normal he remembers where he is, he's in Mistral. At an old academy, private to those skilled in certain techniques, those of fighting. And when he looks around he catches a tall shadowed figure standing not too far from him. He stands up and moves closer to the figure and he quickly makes out who it is when he makes out the figure is a woman, the same woman he saw in the flashback before he was defeated by Cinder. Saraph ran up and hugged the young woman, dressed in tightly fit blackened leather armor, designed with numerous pockets and lightweight, red haired and silver eyes. The woman hugged him back as he began to tear up and keep his voice composed "Master, I thought I'd never see you again." The woman spoke calmly "But I was only gone for a few minutes Damien, don't worry, I'm just fine, and plus today is your 15th birthday, how could I be gone for something like that?"


	9. Chapter 9: An Unknown Past

Saraph let go of the woman and stared at her, he was much younger and not quite as tall, though his body stature didn't change from the present. "And remember Damien, it's not Master you always have to call me, I do have a name you know," the woman stared at the boy. Saraph bowed and stood back up, "Yes I know Celean, I'm sorry." Celean patted the boy on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it, we all make mistakes, some of us just make them a lot fewer times than most others. We are assassins Damien, we aren't allowed to make mistakes, but they are bound to happen, and when they do, we never let them happen again." Saraph looked at Celean, "What mistake have you made?" Saraph was sure he'd be hit for asking the question but Celean just turned and faced the tall and large white glass window behind her and began speaking, "That's a story for another day when you are older, for now, just try and focus on today. Because today, you become a new person, you will be able to return to your family with your new found skills and abilities ready to stand against the world." Saraph followed Celean through a closed door underneath the large window, this had been the first time he'd ever seen this room, but he also knew why he would be entering this room, today was his 15th birthday, his apprentice training was done, today he would be given his new name, or more of nickname. As he entered the room, he was hit with a warm blast of air, the room had a forge and an anvil centered in the middle. He saw Celeans sword resting on the anvil, it was a small traditional short sword made of iron, with a special engraved hilt; from what Saraph had been told, was when he was old enough he would be given three things: a new life, a new name, and the mark of his master. But there was a small problem, Saraph's special ability would make receiving the mark impossible, unless he had been taught to not allow the pain to trigger it. Celean walked over and picked up her sword and stuck the blade into the furnace and pointed to the anvil, Saraph understood and kneeled next to the anvil, placing his right arm laid out across the face of the anvil. He'd been shown Celaen's mark several times, and he knew that the branding would be a two part process: first he would be marked with the blades engraving, then, he would have to hold the hilt. Two parts of the sword, two parts of her mark.

Saraph wasn't afraid of the pain, he was afraid of what responsibility and honor that came with bearing a Masters mark had. Masters were Remnant's deadliest rouges, assassins, killers, and fighters. It's almost like a family, once you bear a Master's mark you are chosen to carry on the mark and Master's way of teaching. Celean pulled the sword from the furnace and the blade was hissing for a moment before the extreme heat faded into a burn, the heat warm in the room. Celean walked over to Saraph's right side holding the blade at her side, Saraph reached over and rips open the arm sleeve and moves his left hand over the wrist of his right arm. "Are you ready Saraph?" Celean speaks in a calm tone, and Saraph nods, "If you believe I am."

Celean walks closer as she raises the sword and aligns it with his arm. She slowly presses it against the skin of his arm as the blade burns the hidden engraving into his arm. He is silent and still, and after a few minutes she removes the blade and watches as a dark purple color seeps into the engraving, filling the burned in mark. She watches as his arm quickly heals and returns to it's normal state with the Master's mark still there, but colored with a dark purple color. She smiles and takes his right hand, placing the hilt in his hand, "You are mine, you bear the mark of the family as I once did for my Master, will you uphold the oath of the family and carry on the name Damien?" Saraph looked Celean in the eyes as his own began to flash dark purple and his hand became inflamed with a purple colored flame. The sound of crackling fire fills the room for only a few moments before the flames die away and he falls to his knees holding his hand. Celean kneels beside him and rests an arm on his shoulder, "It's time for you to take your leave, have you figured out who you will become?" He looks up from his hand, remembering an old tale his mother liked to tell him, a tale about a beast of flame capable of great power that spread fear throughout the kingdoms, and the woman who had been able to defeat the beast and used its power for herself, her name was Saraph Delran, so his name too would be Saraph, " Yes ma'am I have." Celean patted him on the back while standing up, "Well, I believe you're ready to return home. First off, in three years time you will return to continue your training to become a Master, secondly you will never let the mark fade, this will be a test of how well you have learned from me," she smiles, "Farewell, until a new dawn Damien." Saraph takes one last look at her before leaving, "Until a new dawn Celean" and Saraph departs with his last look at someone he cared so much about.

Now back in present time. Saraph shot straight up from the cold tile floor he had blacked out on from whatever Cinder had done to him. He looked around and saw Cinder sitting in the chair with one hand on her chin, staring at him, or something. He looked down at his right arm which was covered in a tattered brown shirt ripped open exactly where the Master's mark was. It was glowing a nice cool purple color, he stared back at Cinder wondering _What had been done to me, and what did he say, if anything?_ Cinder spoke up quietly, "So, you named yourself after a legend who defeated a great beast of flame? And from what I saw, that mark there means a great deal to you?" Saraph replied with slight terror in his voice, "Yes." Cinder stood up and walked across the room towards the rooms door, "Then it better not affect your job." Saraph stands up and heads over to her, "What job?" Cinder signals Saraph to follow her a she walks down a hallway, "You will be raiding a Schnee Dust Company storage yard, and please try to do so without much noise." Saraph runs ahead and stops in front of her with both hands behind his back, "You must never tell anyone what you know. If you do you won't live long enough to see the mistakes made. Am I clear?" Saraph spoke with no falter and a stern voice. Cinder chuckled and continued passed him, "You are cute when you are angry, it's honestly funny to see you this way, and don't forget your place, I'd hate to scar your face anymore," Cinder laughs as she walks outside followed by an angry Saraph who is getting a little annoyed by Cinder even further. The cool night air refreshing to Saraph, he watches Cinder as he is slowly trailing further and further back from her. Once he gets about five feet back from her he turns around and hears her stop walking, all that goes through his mind as he freezes up is _Crap, I could loose her quickly in the forest but how long before she finds some way to outsmart me?_ His train of thought is broken as Cinder continued walking, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Saraph turned around and followed Cinder onto the Bullhead.

The night still young, the Bullhead hovers outside the fence to the storage yard, where dozens of large metal crates and boxes sat all with the Schnee family crest printed on them. Saraph looked at Cinder while he held onto one of the handles by the door "Well?" Cinder seemed surprised by the question but quickly realized what he meant, she pointed to a ice blue crate that was much larger than the rest, "What we are here for is inside that, let me know when you are done." Saraph sighs, looking out at the small valley below him where the storage yard sat entrenched and surrounded by a large ridge on three quarters of the surrounding area. The moon was rising directly in front of him. He gave no noticed before he jumped the twenty or so feet from the airship to the ground. Saraph flipped in the air before landing and dived for the ground, right before impact a dark purple flame circle lights up on the ground underneath him and he lands on the ground kneeling, only the sound of his cloak resting on the ground can be heard. _Why am I doing this, so many much more profitable places to rob, why a Dust storage yard?_ He is thinking to himself as he walks up the the entrance gate, _Unguarded, odd, you'd think a place like this would have tight security. Unless it was a trap, but by who?_ Saraph climbs over the gate quickly, jumping over the top and rolling when he hits the ground. The trap idea was becoming even more of an apparent truth when he realized that the crate Cinder wanted broken into was centered inside a "U" shape formation of other crates and boxes, making this all the more worse. He slowly moved in towards the large crate when something on the ridge caught his eye, he looked up and shadowed by the moonlight was a tall but slim figured person, standing feet spread apart, and holding what looked like a violin.

And he knew of only one person who had a violin, Violet.


	10. Chapter 10: A Violent Note

Explosions ring out, music fills the air, a beautiful combination. Saraph rolls out of the way of several spectral swords before they impacted where he had been standing, an explosion ringing out and the music tuned out from his ears as it's filled with a loud ringing. Saraph looks up at the ridge and the figure hadn't moved. He had no way of possibly reaching them without using his abilities, and he wasn't about to just let his opponent know his phase two. He stared at the silhouetted figure, trying to determine what his next move would be; he wasn't given much of a chance too think before another volley of spectral swords were shot at him. Without any time to react, his natural instincts took control and his eyes flared purple as his arms threw flew up creating a quick wall of flame, disintegrating the spectral swords as they passed through. Saraph blitzed through the flame wall as it faded and was headed for a closer point of contact with his opponent, he got within range and leapt into the air just as his opponent did the same. They traded places as his opponent lands on the stone ground of the storage yard and Saraph landed on the ledge of the ridge and dived backwards off of it landing about twenty feet from the figure, who was now visible. Standing there was a young girl about the same age as Saraph, wore a purple button up coat with grey skinny jeans, and high heel boots, she was almost as tall as Saraph who was 5'11". She had grey eyes and dark blonde hair color.

The two stared at each other, Saraph was mostly unarmed save for his abilities. Silence filled the air, together they both took one step with their right foot and music began playing. A calm and melodic tone beginning to fill the air. They moved as if synchronized, took a step with their left foot, then their right, slid together their feet as they stood upright. Saraph bowed, then spun around horizontally surrounding himself in a cloak of purple flame. Landing kneeled down holding two blackened glass copies of his normal swords. While at the same time a blinding blue flash lit up the area as the girls violin transformed along with the beat of the calm and melodic tone into a silver plated rifle radiating blue energy. They stare at each other as the music begins to pick up pace, Saraph stands up, both swords to his sides. They bow to each other and the music picks again up as the girl fires her rifle, a bright flash lights up the area for a moment, the shot screeching the distance to Saraph who split the round in half watching as each half impacts. This is repeated in succession many times until Saraph finally dodges a shot throwing a sword at her as she kicks the sword up in the air firing a blinding shot and destroying the sword.

She looks back where Saraph would be, but when she looks back Saraph is gone. She catches on to what he would do just in time to be kicked in the back, she recovers from the kick with a roll and landing kneeled, she spins around aiming the rifle on his forehead while Saraph had his last remaining sword against her neck. Saraph noticed her eyes said kill, but her hands and form said stand down. They both nodded as they backed off from each other. Saraph with no warning swung the sword downward at the girl and she kicked it out of his hand, spun around and roundhouse kicked Saraph.

Completely in disarray at what would make him attack after the dance ended. He laid there, flat on the ground looking up at the night sky, "Sorry, I had no idea who you were. Are you ok?" The girl stands above Saraph who still hasn't moved, "I...I think I'm ok," the girl kneels on the ground and stares at him, "Just hold on a moment, you're bleeding around your eye." The girl pulls out some bandages from a pocket on her jacket and dabs up the blood, his right arm slowly moves to his chest. "Violet, what are you doing here?" Saraph is beginning to form his own conclusions, his eyes bleeding from where Cinder cut him and because of the stress, Violet looks at him, her face filled with worry.

"I was sent out here from Beacon to investigate what I was told would be a robbery. What are you doing here?" Violet's head tilts to the side a little. "Uh, I'm not entirely sure," Saraph sits up, realizing he couldn't tell Violet exactly why he was here, but he hated lying to her. Violet's head tilted to the other side, as she took his hands and helped him up on his feet, "We should get you back to Beacon, get you checked out." Violet's voice filled with concern and sadness. Saraph knew Violet better than anyone, and a few things he knew right now were: she hated seeing friends hurt, she hated seeing family hurt, and she felt sincerely bad for attacking him. He looked at her, "Don't worry about it, you should get those cuts checked out," she looks at her arm and sees the blood staining her purple jacket and the slices in the coat arm.

Violet looks up at Saraph and then focuses in on her hair and notices that about two finger width amount of her hair was missing and her expression grew angry. Saraph standing there quietly wondering what was going on, Violet looked from her hair to Saraph and sighed, "Really, really you had to go and do that?!" Saraph took a step back and threw his hands up, "I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. I'll find someway to make it up to you ok?" Violet rolls her eyes and crossing her arms, "You better, because I don't think Mother would like to hear you cut my hair in dance again, remember what happened last time?" Saraph thinks for a moment remembering what did happen last time, his mother made him do her hair for a week and pay for coffee. He looked at her, "Please, don't." Violet sighs again and turns around, "Let's go." Saraph replies calmly, "I'll catch up with you later, I've got things to do." Violet begins walking away, "Suit yourself then."

As Violet disappears from sight Saraph heads over to the large crate he was sent here for, and opened the door. The door squeaked open and as moonlight filled the darkness inside the crate he saw a black obelisk standing in the middle, and a red Dust crystal sitting towards the top placed inside the obelisk. He walked inside, as his footsteps echoed inside, he grabbed the small stone and headed out. Leaving the door open and silence in the night.

Saraph hands the small red crystal to Cinder and she examines it, "I see you had some troubles getting this?" Cinder stares at the blood stain around his right eye. Saraph looks down, "No ma'am I did not, simply an accident." Cinder places the crystal in a black case and returns to Saraph. "Well congratulations, you've passed my first job test for you. Tomorrow, we see if you truly are wiling to do what it takes to have your endeavors," Cinder leaves the room as the sound of her heels echo throughout it. Saraph heads off for some long needed rest.

"So, you see that Hunter over there Saraph?" Cinder points in the direction of a Hunter not too far from them in the Emerald Forest. Saraph spots the young boy who couldn't have been older than 15 wandering around, "Yes I see him." Cinder smiles and puts a hand on her hip, "Well, your next test is simple, kill the Hunter." Saraph focused in on the Hunter at the moment missed all but the last three words of what Cinder said, "You want me to kill him, what has he done wrong?" Saraph turns back to Cinder. "Nothing. Yet." Saraph confused even more now puts a hand in a pants pocket, "So you expect me to just walk out there and kill him in cold blood?" Cinder chuckles, "Well, maybe he's warm blooded, I mean it is sunny out." Saraph blankly stares at Cinder for a few moments before looking to the Hunter then back at Cinder, "I won't do it." Cinder's expression turns cold, "Yes you will, I mean you did just consider it." Saraph crosses his arms, "I will not, and you know you can't make me either." They both stare at each other for a moment before Cinder puts out a hand, "You will kill the Hunter or I'll make you." Saraph digs his foot into the ground slightly, "I'm. Not. Doing. It." Cinder stares and him, "Then I suppose I should kill you now then? I mean you are proving to be quite useless to me." Saraph looks back at the Hunter then Cinder, "I said no." Saraph quickly draws on of his swords and swings downward towards Cinder who in response knocks the sword out oh his hand and grabs him by the throat, lifting him up slightly and throwing him to the ground, "You will do it. Also, for some assassin you have terrible planning." Saraph coughs for a moment, "Or that was the plan." Cinder still pinning him to the ground by his throat slowly closes her hand, Saraph begins coughing. He brings his right arm up as purple flame begins to emanate from him, a ball of purple flame appears in his hand and in the moment before it fires off Cinder grabs his wrist and pins it to the ground in the direction of the Hunter. She begins burning his wrist and the pain causes him to release the fire ball.

Cinder watches as the fire ball impacts and for better terms kills him, the sound of his screams reaches the two, "And well done! You've killed a Hunter!" Cinder let's go of Saraph and stands up, while Saraph coughs and gasps for air. She brushes some grass and dirt off of her dress and stares at Saraph who was getting angrier with each passing second, "One down, who knows how many more to go." Cinder chuckles and helps Saraph up then immediately throws him against a tree by the throat pinning him there, enough force to crack the bark, her tone angry and cold, "If you ever say no to a command from me again, I might just kill you. Do you understand Saraph?" Saraph stares past her, avoiding eye contact with Cinder, "Yes." Cinder still holding him there replies coldly, "Good, now time for your punishment. Or did you think you'd be spared from it?" She chuckles as her arm lights up with an amber color. Saraph knew what would happen, and he knew no way to avoid it, until he heard a familiar note, one note he knew very well, it meant Violet knew what was happening to him, which meant a very violent note was coming.

[From the author]

I wanted to thank everyone personally for the support on this fanfic, and wanted to tell you how happy I am when I see a new review was posted or someone followed/favorites it. I'm incredibly happy to see so many people are enjoying this and I hope to keep writing an enjoyable story for you all. Also my profile has links to pages where you can directly chat with me for those interested. Until a new dawn everyone and have a good day!


	11. Chapter 11: A Single Spark

Saraph's tone went cold, "If you really valued your life Cinder, I would put me down, right, now." Cinder rolls her eyes and sighs, her hand begins to light up an amber color just as a tree collides with her sending her flying off somewhere into the forest. Saraph falls to the forest floor and quickly stands up just in time to see Violet rip his hood from off his head and grab him by the collar of his armor and begin walking back the way she came, "You won't be making any girlfriends wearing a scary hood all the time Saraph!" Violet's grip cold and firm as she drags Saraph with her, "But I-" Saraph is cut off mid sentence as Violet stops and snaps around to look at Saraph, anger in her eyes, "I don't want to hear it, and you better not be hurt in anyway, I don't know how I would explain that to Mother." Saraph tries to break free from Violet's grasp but he trips over a fallen branch and is now being dragged away on the ground. "Well Violet I could tell you, but I can't go with you." Violet snaps, "Well then tell me because I'm taking you with me whether you can or can't." Saraph having no idea what to do superheats his hand for a quick minute causing Violet to loose her grip and stumble forward narrowly dodging a random fireball. Violet sits up and fixes her hair as she stares angrily at Saraph, "Have you forgotten what today is?!" Saraph begins walking back to where he had last seen Cinder, Violet stands up and readjusts her coat, "Today is the day you were supposed to leave, Damien, today is the day you returned." Saraph stopped walking as what she had said clicked in his head, he had forgotten what today was, which made him angry, but thankful that the only person he ever told anything was Violet, because it was for this exact reason he told her. "Now you get it! Let's get going then, you have three days to get there, and I'd hate to find out you were killed or something for not making the date." Violet grabs him again as the two headed off to Beacon.

The last part of the deal was on his birthday, Saraph would have three days to make his way back to his Master and have it be the exact day, a day ahead meant he couldn't plan right, and a day late was dishonorable and meant you had no commitment. Saraph was still caught up wondering why Cinder let him get away so easily, made him wonder if she was waiting for something. But among all of this thought, he had forgotten about his team, who was now staring at him as he packed several items into his pockets and a small bag. "So, where ya going?" Tempest asked while she sat on the bed above Saraph's, "Somewhere, I should be back in about four days, Violet has me covered." Saraph steps next to room's door, as Claire stands up from her seat in the corner, "Violet? Is there something we should know Saraph?" Claire asked with a slightly jealous like tone, which Saraph caught onto quickly, "Claire, she is my sister, don't worry, you're not loosing any chances." With that Saraph left the room smiling at Claire while Tempest stared at Claire with a huge smile, "So, do you have something you'd like to tell us Claire?" Claire's face went bright red as she sat back down, "Yes, first off stay out of my business, secondly, he's mine." Tempest crosses her arms, "Yours? I see how you are." She glares angrily at Claire who innocently smiles back. Aaron slides out of his bed, "I think I get what's going on her." Both Claire and Tempest shout at Aaron, "No!" and with that Aaron throws his hands up and slides back into bed falling asleep. The two girls giving one another the silent treatment.

Saraph has spent the past few hours walking, walking through the forests of Vale, headed on one path, a worn dirt path that connected to several places, one of which was his Master's home, he would follow thus trail through any harsh condition or any bad encounter until he made it to his destination, and there was hardly time to stop as he had three days to make it there. Thing was, Violet was the only person who knew where he would be and when, yes when, she had plotted his entire course to his Master's home so he would get there exactly on time, which meant if he wasn't back in time Violet would freak out and come looking for him which might prove dangerous. If he didn't return on time it most likely meant he was dead, which was a huge fear for him. He had his tricks but he knew nothing that could save him from death. The hero of his favorite tale couldn't survive death, but it was rumored that the Masters knew such tricks that made them able to sustain enormous amounts of damage and even survive death. But there were a few problems, if Cinder really did screw with his head it meant she knew about his fear, and he needed to figure out an ace quite quickly. But he also noticed how he thought so much about Cinder, it felt as if his mind was telling him joining her was the right decision, that becoming evil was what fate had planned for him. And the fact he knew that the only person he could trust as much as his Master Celean was Violet, so she too knew everything and couldn't hide much from either one of the two, which mean that Cinder knew about both Violet, and Celean, which made him think they were somehow now in huge danger.

This had been all he thought about the three days of his travel, never an encounter with a Grimm, and he walked through rain and cold temperatures each day, once a day contacting Violet to let her know she was ok.

Though through the rain, he felt as if something was wrong as he had gotten within a few miles distance from his Master, but as odd as it felt he was sure everything would be fine, until a big gust of wind hit Saraph carrying a faint smell with it, and it clicked immediately, the faint smell was of smoke, and he dashed towards the Master's home, so fast it seemed like merely he had teleported from one place to another.

And, he saw what he feared most, and it hit him hard, what he saw, flashed together with scenes from his childhood, the day he lost his parents. When the door to the building opened, the bag on Saraph's shoulder fell to the ground as his eyes flared purple and runic markings began glowing on his arms and hands. He knew not who was responsible for what he was witnessing, but to him all that mattered was they were swiftly executed for this.

Because today was no test, today the flames had sparked to life.


	12. Chapter 12: A Day in Darkness

Celean stumbled out from the building, an arm covering a wound at her side, blood stains on her blackened leather outfit. Her hair was in a mess and when she looked at Saraph her face went pale as a blackened glass blade shown through her stomach. Celean fell to the ground holding her other arm over the new wound and from behind her stood Cinder, a smile was on her face as blood dripped from the blade in her hand. Saraph's took one step before being stopped by a blast of fire in front of him, a blaze of flame sparked and roared to life in front of him as he stood there, watching Cinder's next move. Whether or not his training was for this day, he sure knew what had to be done. Cinder had to die. Celean put up a hand as Cinder grabbed her by the outfits neck collar and put the blade to her throat, all Celean could manage to get out was said softly, "Ignite." And with that final word chaos began, the sound of glass cutting the wind was all Saraph could hear through the flames. As the air grew cold, so did his emotions, one of the few people he ever really trusted had just been killed in front of him. His thoughts screamed for him to run, saying he had screwed up, but what his heart said, was not of kind intent either. It screamed for revenge, a dish best served cold, or in this case hotter than a sun. He threw his right arm up in the air as a column of purple flame spiraled upwards from the runes and one of his swords materialized into his hand. He brings his arm down parallel with his body, the sword at his side, he stands ready for Cinder knowing very well only one of them was going to walk away from this; and it would be him who walked away, or maybe they would both walk away, but that wasn't about to become an allowed outcome.

Cinder matched Saraph's form, believing she would come out on top, determined to use killing his master against him to force him to submit and join her. But she also thought this would be simple, a boy now bent on revenge with unstable emotions would be incredibly easy to defeat then twist his thoughts so this incident and future ones wouldn't happen.

Saraph takes one step and throws up his left hand in front of himself, a ring filled with a multitude of runes appears about an inch from his hand, the runes are the same dark purple color as the flames in his eyes. And the amber blaze still burning away in front of him flickers and dies off, disappearing instantly, and from Saraph came a bellowing roar that shook the ground around them and from the rune came a blast of shadow-flame that roared towards Cinder with incredible force, enough to cause the ground to fly with it. Cinder takes one step and dodges the blast as she laughs and sends a pillar of fire shooting straight from underneath Saraph but he quickly rolls out of the way as it fires off. Landing the roll and sending his sword flying at Cinder with lighting speed as she barely manages to get out of its way as it puts a small cut in her left arm just before it smashing through the wall of the doorway behind her. She takes a glance at the damage before turning her attention back to Saraph with slight anger in her face and tone, "Impressive, now would you kindly submit so I can get back to work?" Saraph stands up and summons another sword, "The first thing you say is that? You are one cold woman whom is going to die a very horrible death." Cinder looks at Celean's dead body then back at Saraph with fake sadness in her face, "Oh how sad, your Master lies dead beneath me and yet you still stand proud?" Saraph lunges the yard or so of distance towards Cinder and in response she parries his attack and swings at him while he slides past her, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around. Cinder goes to kick Saraph but he spins around on one knee bringing up his arms blocking the kick as her heel cuts into his arms. He spins around tripping Cinder and as she falls lets go of the sword in her hand. Saraph stands up, grabs the sword and as Cinder hits the ground he brings the glass sword down with lightning speed and stabs Cinder through the stomach. She screams out in pain.

Saraph smiles as he looks at her scream in pain, justice was done, and as for him he would have to carry on the Masters line for Celean. He stepped over Cinder as she continued to scream in pain attempting to pull the sword from herself, while Saraph began walking away the building behind him collapses and explodes in a plume of fire and ash.

A bigger smile appears across Saraph's face as his cloak flaps from the force of the explosion and as he spins around to view the destruction and chaos his cloak flows behind him. And when he does a shard pain fills his chest, as he feels his body go numb his head falls to his chest and he sees the same bloodstained glass sword that killed Celean stabbed through his heart. He can hear Cinder laughing evilly as she walks in front of him, caressing his face while smiling. "It's a shame you had to die Saraph, let's hope I'll see you again darling." The color and flame drains from Saraph's eyes as the go silvery white. And he begins to choke up, blood beginning to drip from his mouth and chest as he falls to his knees as he watches Cinder disappear from sight. He slowly raises his right arm into the air as a rune is summoned from thus, and a roaring flame of purple color shines brightly as cracks of purple energy begin to spread across his body cracking him apart like stone being smashed to pieces. The flames spiral from the rune downward of Saraph's body as he turns to blackened stone.

Frozen in time, it was once said only Masters knew how to survive death, but Saraph knew very well in his final moments he wasn't going to be the one to walk away from this battle. And thus he would die as cold as stone, Cinder had won. From across the world, Violet had felt his pain, as in the middle of Beacon's courtyard had fallen to her knees, crying in pain, as she knew just what had happened.

Today was a day in darkness.


	13. Act 2-Chapter 13: Shadowed Feelings

"Violet, Violet what's wrong?" One of Violet's teammates was knelled beside her in the courtyard as she cried. Violet had just suddenly without any warning fell to her knees and began crying, she wouldn't move, she wouldn't respond. Violet knew something had happened, it was as if all the music in the world had suddenly stopped, she felt no emotion, no happiness. Her violin rested across her lap, cold as ice. She stared at it, memories flashing inside her thoughts. Her ears ringing loudly, blocking the voices of those trying to help her. She was feeling something worse than death, loss.

Violet looked up slowly, and underneath a tree was the shadowed figure of Saraph, standing there, his cloak flowing in the wind. But as a smile had began to form on her face he was gone in the blink of an eye, and the smile faded away into sorrow once more.

Now, I know what you all are thinking, sob story of a young girl who experiences loss for the first time, and doesn't know how to coop with it? Or maybe you thought I was really dead? Well if that's the case you haven't been picking up on hints in my story here. See, I've shared with you my story, the one that has unfolded. You've seen my past, who I was, who I was becoming, but let me tell you something. I couldn't be telling you this story if I were dead now could I? See many of you were smart, figured it out from day one. But though you may have thought my story was coming to a close we are far from the end. There may have been ashes in my death, but a phoenix will always rise again from their ashes, stronger, and deadlier. Now you get to here the story as it continues to unfold, because I didn't just decide to die, I didn't just decide to leave Violet to suffer, but it was because it had to happen. Sure I may be very cruel, to even the one I loved I was cruel, but I couldn't bear to loose her, as she had already lost me, or so I believe she had. So, shall I begin from where we last left off, where I was dead and encased in black stone formed from the flames of darkness? I thought that's why you must be here, because a story wouldn't be a story without you wanting more, to know just how I turned out, just to see if I did really succumb to the darkness that surrounded me. Well, you'll just have to sit, listen, and wait for the story to get there!

I remember the pain of the day I died, worst feeling ever to share the same feeling as the one who believed you were lost, bleeding out inside of a rock, your aura unable to heal you because it's been the only thing keeping you barely alive. I thought I suffered through some of the worst things imaginable, that was till I died. See I didn't really die, more of a long bleed out, but it definitely felt like I was dead. All I had to do was figure out how to get out of this rock, because honestly, this hadn't ever happened before, nor did I even know I was capable of surviving death, as it seemed it wasn't only Masters that had ways to survive death, well I guess I really still don't know how I am alive but here I am, stuck in a rock and no idea how to get out, or how long I've been inside this thing. Well till I heard footsteps from outside. Faintly could I hear the footsteps and voices of people who seemed to have noticed the area, well it honestly was a hard place to find, down in a valley, about ten miles from Marcus Black. Surprising how close some assassins live next to each other; I've also never had the pleasure of meeting Marcus, just kept hearing stories and recent events and things about him from Celean. A loud shout can be heard, and as if the shout triggered it, the rock formation around me began to melt away, and within seconds he fell to the ground.

The soft grass blanketing my fall, while I laid there on the ground I could hear the voices much clearer now, men, and women all about early twenties. I could also hear the armor they were wearing, and I knew just who it was from the sounds of clanking metal and the steam pressured suit. Atlas had found me, and I honestly wanted to know how so, Atlas usually isn't this far into Mistral. I could hear the soldiers circle up around me, and I knew they were armed when I heard their rifles charge up. I slowly stood up with my hands in the air, I had no way to know if I could fight them in my condition. I looked around at the circle of soldiers dressed in Atlas military uniforms, and I chuckled with what I saw, I believed to have counted six men and women dressed in the standard uniform armor, but here standing before me were six men and women dressed in tailored uniforms, and a single soldier dressed in armor. I could see the burned down house behind a few of them where Celean had fallen, and just underneath the door frame lie her dual weapon pair, Two Moons. If I could just get to the door and past the seven people around me I might have a chance...

I looks around and studies all of the seven figures. Memorizing hand twitches and body language. I took one step forward and faded out, appearing in another plane, a world of red rocky terrain and purple crystals. I looked up and around and saw two crystals sharing the same blood red gleam unlike any of the others, and the shattered moon, a black haze covered it here. I saw no one and nothing but the terrain for mikes until I could not see no more. I guess another hidden gift I had never known about. I willed myself to return and the scenes changed once again, this time back to my home. I stood on the staircase next to my deceased master who beside her in the door frame lied her weapons. I knelled down listening to the confused Atlas soldiers shout wondering where I was. The silver necklace around my Master's neck caught my eye. I moved to remove the necklace as a keepsake, something to finish one of her longest wishes, for me to find something to truly remember her by. Though as I pulled on the chain it slid from her neck with a broken link; the special amulet lost from the necklace. I looked around and found the bloodied amulet which was a silver shield with two swords crossed in flames. I placed the chain and amulet into my pocket just as I was tackled to the ground by a white haired woman. I managed to roll to the side and kick her away, then grabbed the two mahogany revolvers that had once belonged to Celean and aimed them at the woman at the same time she pointed a saber straight between my eyes. Her face was filled with courage and pride, myself, well I was scared to know how this might turn out. "Put down your weapons assassin!" the woman spoke with a loud tone as if to try and scare me, "You first Atlas." I held the barrels pointed behind her, would make it easier to handle her without being immediately rushed. All I could think about was when to move, I couldn't get caught by Atlas, and it seems they already know what I am but I don't think they know who I-"I will not ask again Damien, put down your weapon!" the woman pressed her saber forward. I quickly looked down the barrel and saw that both chambers were loaded. Now because they knew who I was I had to make certain I got away, I spotted a name on this girl's uniform, from what I could see it read "Winter" across it. The name sounded familiar but not enough time to sit here and figure it out. I stared her in the eyes as she did the same, fired a round off from both guns hitting my marks and swung the axe blades that were equipped the under barrel section of these guns at Winter to force her back, she was quicker and stabbed through my left shoulder when I leaned forward just before I tripped her. I stood up with the blade halfway through my shoulder and began firing, the sparks of flame lighting up my face. Each explosion music to my ears. I watched as their uniforms one by one became stained red, Winter making a quick recovery tripped me and during the fall grabbed me by the neck and slammed me to the ground with enough force to shatter the wooded stairs. Just before she could grab her sword from my shoulder Two Moons let out a quick flash of white light blinding her. When the flash cleared she was pinned down on her chest with both barrels of my guns pointed at her back. "You know who I am and what I am, then you should be better prepared, now, explain why Atlas is here and you might live." Winter coughed up a little blood, "I told you I wasn't going to ask again." I chuckled just as a large blue glyph had appeared in front of me, and it was then at that moment I knew who this was. Winter Schnee, and she came fully prepared. And suddenly, light faded to darkness as a large blast of force from an icy fist slammed into my chest shattering my under armor.

I hit the ground in pain surrounded by the shattered fragments of my armor, I was alright as long as Winter didn't stab me, the armor was infused with Dust so in a few minutes it would regenerate back into place. Winter walked over accompanied by two other girls dressed in the same uniform. The girl on the left, her name tag read Voi, and the girl on the right read Isabella. I shook my head as they lifted me up off the ground and brought me to a small ship located not too far from where they were. He was buckled in and as the ship began departure he began to pass out from the pain. I knew where I was headed, and I wished I was dead. Because of the rumours of what happens to people captured by Atlas Specialists wasn't good. It involved a lot of torture and if you survived you were forced to become an operative for them. And I wasn't about to go work for them even though at one point in my life, it was all I wanted to do. I never met Winter but I had the pleasure of meeting her younger sister Weiss. She was a cold person, but get to know her and she begins to warm up, she is especially protective of her friends and family. But I never heard much about Winter and I was really scared. But sleeping was all that was on my mind. I'd deal with this problem when I got to Atlas


	14. Act 2-Ch 14: Interrogation Gone Wild

I awoke to the sounds of laughter and cheering, as I slowly opened my eyes light flooded into perspective. I looked around slowly, observing and memorizing the features of a very light blue room. I sat at a small metal desk, in a metal chair; I noticed my hands weren't bound when I began to stretch, "Well good to see you're awake Damien!" Winter's voice could be heard above all other sound in the room. Though her tone was more cheerful than it ought to be. Her eyes said she was friendly. Only two things could be thought, one she was very good at portraying a different emotion, secondly she was truly happy, and that second idea seemed very, very wrong. Voi and Isabella were also in the room, but between all the four people here me included, we were it, no one else was in the room. No false glass or panels. Just them, the walls, a desk, chair and the door.

"So, are you just going to sit there and pretend to ignore me?" Winter was sitting in a chair across from me while the other two girls sat at another table and talked among themselves. I slowly sat up straight trying to see if I could feel any of my weapons but while I was doing that Winter placed a large blackened box onto the table that had my name in bold letters placed on a silver nameplate. When she opened it one of my many knives I usually carry on me falls from the box onto the table and I watched as it stuck into the table from how sharp its blade is. But I doubted they had a way to stop me, or that was exactly what they wanted me to think. Too many possibilities and no answers, which in turn was creating a huge problem, showing his flaw. "Look I don't know why I'm here so why don't you just get to the point?" I was being rude intentionally, wanted to see how far her little charade would last. "Well if that's what you want then great! So here's how this is going to work Damien," she stood up and put her hands onto the table leaning towards me, putting her weight onto her arms, "you're going to tell me just exactly who you work for?" I let out a quick laugh, "You are bad at your job if that's your first question." Winter chuckles and smiles. "No, simply I'm seeing how you react, I could very simply get what I want from you." Her tone sounded like she was being cocky; now I was just stalling, I had to figure out what I was up against in this room and that was proving difficult. "Damien answer the question." Winter was failing in her tactics, though I'm very curious on how far they will get her. I wanted to know what the other girls parts were in this. I could pull a cliche idea like mind reading or some other idea but that seemed very highly unlikely, but still a possibility.

"I work for Beacon Academy, do want to call them up and confirm that for the press, or are you just gonna take my word for it?" Winter reached into a pocket inside her jacket and pulled out a sleek blackened ash colored scroll. She placed it onto the table in front of me, "Damien, tell me where your boss is, oh and do feel free to contact Beacon, if you can manage to find a way to get outside the signal blocker do feel free to let me know." A smirk came across her face as she finished her sentence. Honestly I would love to just call Beacon right now, see that smirk of hers fade, but I wouldn't like to risk anything right now, she probably knows that she won't be able to get past the security I put onto it. So I did as she asked, I pulled up a map of Vale and pointed out to her where my boss was, Beacon Academy, Ozpin's tower, "Well here you are, that's where my boss is." Winter quickly took the scroll off the table and looked at the map where I pointed and she laughed for a moment before her smirk faded, "Oh Damien, I warned you I would get the information one way or another. I tried being nice but I guess you don't like nice." I chuckled, "No, not really, though I do like my sister, and she is a nice person." The charade was broken and now I was free to take action, though by what she said I could only assume that the two girls behind her would soon be my next big problem, and I really didn't like that. As I looked at the girls more and more and began to study features, I soon realized some similarities among them. They looked almost identical, same hairstyle, same body stature, same body language, their eye colors were an ocean blue; something told me this was going to be fun.

I stood up and pointed to Winter while I supported myself with my other arm on the table, "Winter, let me tell you something. I do not have a boss, I work for no one, I've spent my entire time in Vale trying to stay alive and stay in school. So before you ask me who my boss is again you might want to try and do your job for a change and figure out who I am first." Winter's expression went cold almost instantly, and it took me nearly a minute to figure out what was happening, I could see the reflection of the fire in my eyes in hers. Now I won't lie, seeing someone with glowing purple eyes that can actually be flames is scary, seeing me with that is even worse if you know who I am. Winter took a few steps back and I'm guessing by the facts she put her hands up in surrender she took my reaction as a threat. "Well Damien, see I can't really believe what you've said. You've lied to your family and your sister, and even the school you claim to attend, but I have your records here and I see no confirmation that you actually attend Beacon what so ever" she sets a blue folder down onto the table, I didn't dare want to take the time to look in there and see if she was right or not. But I wanted to know if she was right, if I really didn't exist at Beacon, of if this was a false document that she had created. My hand slowly reached for the folder but I couldn't decide if I wanted to take it or not. I did know there was only one way I would know for sure, and I knew how to read Atlas documents, I used to study from them and I've even had my fair share of top secret information shown to me such as the P.E.N.N.Y. Project. But did Winter know that was the question, honestly right now I could have her arrested for false accusations and trying to get information from me, but no one here even knows about many of the top secret things I've had shared to me, hell, I was told it couldn't ever be in any way mentioned outside the Atlas corporation building when Mr. Schnee had taken me and Weiss a few years ago for a fun little buddy tour to help family relations grow. They needed a talented weapons smith and my family was the only talented one around. But that's beside the point, I reached over and grabbed the folder sliding it closer to me. I opened it slowly and saw just two sheets of paper, a paper with the Atlas Kingdom crest painted onto it and its declaration the documents inside were classified. My curiosity kept me going as I pulled out the second sheet showing that I was in fact not a registered student at Beacon. I tried to make it not obvious that I was looking for the fade text on the paper, it's a text that only in a certain angle of light can be faintly seen, that's how you tell if it's truly a real document. After several minutes I found nothing, which meant this document was more than likely just some printed off sheet of paper to try and get me to do as she wanted. "Well?" her tone seemed to be pleasing as she most likely thought she conned me to her side. I sat the paper down and looked at her, "Well, you've got me, I work for a lady named C-" I'm cut off mid sentence by a gunshot in the room, a bit of particles and debris hit my back from the wall being hit directly behind me. Winter snaps, "Who fired that!?" both the girls point to each other while they both are holding a gun in opposite hands. They both spoke simultaneously, "Sorry, the silencer wasn't screwed on all the way." They both look at each other then back at Winter. Winter sighs and rolls her eyes, "I said don't shoot the man ok?" the two girls nod in sync. I look at both of the girls and notice that I could start making my way to the door as the girls began fighting over who was to blame for the incident. Everything was going smoothly until I reached for the door handle and it had exploded, I looked to the right and saw both girls were aiming their guns at me and Winter was just standing there with a dumbfounded look on her face, "Did you think you could just simply walk out of here?" I chuckled and sighed before responding, "Yes, I do, because you hadn't even realized I stood up when I know both of the girls did notice me, also, I know there's no one on the other side of this door because you have so much confidence I wouldn't think to do this and you get whatever you came looking for." The expression on her face changed to a happy smile, "You really are good at what you do aren't you?" I looked at the door as I opened it smiling, "Yes, yes I am." And with those final words everything turned black with the loud sound of an explosion. Dead? No. Simply, I blacked out from the force of whatever happened, because for a good long four minutes I lied on grass after, I knew how long it had been but not how I ended up on grass. I opened my eyes slowly and looked around as I lied there on my back, I saw the Atlas building that it seems I was just flung from the twelfth floor window. It seemed like it was an explosion that went off when I opened the door, I have no clue how I ended up on the other side of it and not dead.

I couldn't feel my left side, which would make sense because I hadn't fully been turned around when I blacked out. I saw Winter's head poke out the window and she saw where I was before returning fully to the building shouting orders is what it seemed like. I had to move, I had to get as far away from here as possible, no doubt Violet had already gone home from the pain of feeling my "death". Our family's estate was just thirteen miles north of here, which meant I had to either crawl or limp most of the way there. Well I guess I can always remember this day as a wild one, with quite the interrogation. I began my slow crawl to the nearest tree from the building's lawn and pulled myself up before heading towards my family's home, through a dark forest and home I go.


	15. Act 2-Ch 15: Whipped, Pistol Whipped

"Gahh!" I stare into the man's eyes as they fade into darkness, Atlas had sent specialists after me, guess I was really important to them. The man's shout still echoed in the silence of the forest. Yes, I stabbed a man, yes he died, yes I do not regret survival instincts. But just how many more would have to get in my way, that's the fifth one I've killed for stepping in front of me. I only had about a mile before I hit the estate's property line, which meant one of two things: first off, I could be just fine, walk in say hello and be on my merry way to recovery, or second, Atlas gets there first, plays hostage simulators and takes my family hostage unless I surrender, the second on seemed quite likely and seemed quite fun if you ask me. I continued my walk through the forest, I still couldn't feel my entire body after several hours of walking and surviving, which made sense, but by now I just wanted to go home and sleep. Suddenly I hear a branch snap and leaves rustle in the distance, a crow from behind a bush flies off. For a quick moment it almost seemed as if the area grew warmer then suddenly dropped down to its nice chilling feel once again. For some reason I quickly came to the assumption Cinder had found me, found out I was alive, but that was impossible, no, just highly improbable, and how would she have found me so fast. So many things to consider that while I was thinking I forgot about something really basic, watch where I'm walking just as I walked straight into the estates large stone and metal fence that defines the property with a loud thud, and the metal bars ringing. As I recover my thoughts from the incident I quickly spot the large gray house I called home, which meant we were on the Western side of the property, nothing special except there was no way in on this side, the entrance was on the Eastern side. Now for those of you wondering, yes I will be going through the front door, greatest way to surprise your enemy is to do the unexpected...

Twenty minutes later I open the front door to the house and slowly step inside I feel a very slight bump in the floor, someone was standing on the wood floor behind the door, but it was too late to do anything, one bad action and I could be dead. I stepped inside and when the angle was right I drew my weapons and pointed the guns right at the door till I made my way all the way around the door. And I took one quick step and when I stopped moving noticed no one was behind the door. Odd, I was very certain someone- a loud thud and suddenly my head hurts, I fall to the floor from the force impact on my head from what felt and sounded like a gun. I got pistol whipped is what happened, and I will not tolerate that fact. I rolled over and saw Winter standing there holding a white framed pistol with a huge smile on her fact, even though it's not easy to knock me out. "Well hello." Her tone so, so, I can't even describe how, sinister it was. But then again I was just hit in the back of the head with a gun so thinking wasn't all too easy for me at the moment, "And hello to you to darling." I chuckled after I said that, though she seemed to take it as a compliment as I expected to be shot for that or hit or something. Wow, honestly my expectations are bad but I can't be told they're wrong.

"So, you are predictable it seems, I honestly thought you'd be smarter than that." Winter begins walking back and forth beside me, each step paced, perfectly timed. The gun resting easy in her hand. I knew very well now wasn't the right time to stop this small negotiation, for if I made the wrong deal, the downfall would be death. "No response? You aren't going to be able to think your way out of this fight Saraph." My eyes flickered to life with flame, how had she managed to get my name? I slowly stood up as she walked to the middle of the house's main room. The furniture in the house didn't seem to have been moved until I spotted my father's chair had in fact been moved from the corner in the wall. That chair never moved, I remember that because I remember it being incredibly heavy and that it never moved. And it was what worried me the most. "So I'm going to guess how this goes, you hold my family hostage until you get what you want right?" Winter chuckles and spins the handgun around on her finger, "Sort of," she quickly stops spinning the gun, grabs it quickly firing into my chest the begins spinning it again just as I slide to the floor with a gunshot in my chest. No words could be said from me, I moved my hand from the wound and watched the blood fall from my hand onto the grey carpet below. "You have one choice, confess to your guilty actions, and submit to punishment." She stared at me as I slowly made my way to my feet, sliding my back against the wall. As I got to my feet and took a step I went from touching the ground to feeling a plate of my armor shatter just as I hit the ground on my stomach with a loud thud. I began to stand up and as doing such I was slowly pushed back down as Winter put a foot on the center of my back, "You think you can stand up? By all means go ahead and try." Her time cold. In an instant my vision blurred and I was standing in the same weird place as I had been in a few days ago, the ground was rocky and a purple haze filled the area, along with the haze were dozens of dark purple crystals surrounding me in various sizes. I didn't like it here, felt, cold. Before I could think, or feel anything else I found myself standing in my living room, the same room where I was a minute ago. I turned, it felt as if the world around me hadn't caught up in time, and saw Winter still standing there but with amazement on her face. We both looked at each other and as we saw each other our expressions changed to anger. She moved fast, but it still seemed she was catching up. I had full movement back and just as she got within a foot of me I grabbed her sword she lunged at me with, hit her in the jaw them kicked her in the chest.

She flew across the large room and slammed into the back wall with incredible force, enough to put a crater in my wall. Time seemed to return back to normal before she impacted with the wall. Her sword stuck into the wall nearly an inch from her chest. I walk up and kneel beside her, she's just frozen from shock, "If you ever, ever try to challenge me to something, just know I will more than likely win" I pull a piece of paper from her jacket out and find a pen on a dark brown table in the middle of the room, and write my name and number on it then set it on her lap. "I hope to be hearing from you soon on a job opening and an interview." I stand up and leave, I wasn't worried about my parents because I had totally forgotten this was one of their annual vacation weeks, how convenient; and yes, I just applied to work for Atlas, it would be better than being stuck running from Cinder forever, or well that was what I was hoping for before I walked outside and saw Cinder standing there with what looked like, give me a minute, I count out a few heads among the crowd behind her, a few dozen White Fang soldiers, I guess they are soldiers, one was dressed in an interesting black suite, kinda scary. But this was either my imagination or, she was really here, honestly it could be both, I mean I kinda did get hit in the head and shot, oh yeah I was shot kinda forgot about that part. I blinked and everyone was gone. I took one step and blinked again, they were still gone. I looked back into the house and saw Winter still sitting there shocked but now slowly moving. Either I could see the future or I'm just seriously tired. And from that, all I remember is blacking out with a loud thud on the ground from bleeding out.

/Thank you all for reading this awesome story that has unfolded. Thank you all for your continued support. And I've got some awesome news for all of you, I was recently "hired" to help be a writer/editor for a RWBY fan project. Now I'm not sure how much more I can say about that all I can tell you is it's awesome, we already are getting ready to start letting the world see it. For those interested here are the links to our various pages for our project where you can keep up to date on the events and things going on around the project and even get to talk to some of us who are working on the project. Again thank you all for your support, keep it up! And for any questions feel free to contact me. 

Instagram: BRAC productions ( teambrac) • Instagram photos and videos Team BRACs official instagram page. .com

YouTube: BRAC Productions - YouTube Our channel is the result of hard working indiviuals of many talents coming together to show love towards our original series RWBY. social media: tumblr: rwb... YouTube


	16. Announcement

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

I know this story has sat quiet for a while now and not many cared, but to those of you who do I say thank you.

I also bring good news, so please bear with me. I intend to fix the story chapter by chapter when I get the time to now that I can and have the time to make the needed changes. Along with that, the project group known as BRAC that I am apart of are going to do an audio series based off of this as it gets updated and reworked. I promise this time it will be done right and hope you all will enjoy this the second time. I will leave a post like this explaining which chapter has been updated every time I update a chapter or multiple of them.

Thank you all and enjoy your day :D


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